The Behemoth: Falco's Story
by Green Hat
Summary: Days after Dinosaur Planet Star Fox face a massive vessel of untold power. Now the Behemoth’s secrets lie only with Falco and a mission gone horribly wrong. Scales said the war was just beginning, he was right...
1. Part 1: Star Fox

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox or any of the associated planets etc bla bla bla bla bla but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't steal any of the original characters but you'd have to be just a _little _stupid to want to do that...

**THE BEHEMOTH: Falco's story**

Every hero has a little help along the way, the story of those helpers tends to be pushed aside, but this is one story the Lylat Federation can't afford to ignore...

Days after the events of Dinosaur Planet the Star Fox team encounter a new enemy, a massive vessel of untold power. Now it seems the Behemoth's secrets lie with Falco and a strike mission gone horribly, horribly wrong...

Scales said the war was just beginning. He was right.

This is Falco's story...

_Prologue_

"_As soon as you speak to someone you run the risk of being betrayed. If you become involved you risk getting hurt. If you love anyone... they might not love you back." _

"Get off my ship!"

"Yes _sir_"

Fox launched himself at Falco, hitting him hard in the stomach. Falco crumpled.

"You shouldn't have done that" he managed to grunt.

"What you gunna do about it?" Fox asked.

Falco stood up, pulled his hand into a fist and before Fox could comprehend what was happening struck him surprisingly hard in the centre of his head. Fox staggered back, more stunned than anything.

"I'm not going to let you get away with it this time" Falco stood up and backed up a bit. "I have before, but not now, now I don't have anything to lose" Fox launched himself forward again, bringing Falco down. Falco kicked him in the chest. Fox recoiled for a moment, then drew back his fist and slammed it into Falco's beak. He was stunned when it started to bleed so suddenly. Falco kicked up into Fox's face, Fox felt one of his teeth go through his lip. His anger irrupted as Falco fell back cradling his beak.

"Fox-" he started to say

"Peppy's not here to save you this time" Fox growled before hitting Falco again. Falco tried to fight back but Fox, older and stronger held him almost completely immobile. Fox continued to punch him, although his fury began to dissipate. Falco finally landed another strike on the side of his head.

"Stop both of you!" Peppy shouted taking hold of Fox's shoulder and pulling them apart. "I though you two were more grown up than this! Rooms march!" Peppy pointed angrily. Fox walked away and Falco got shakily to his feet. Peppy's enraged expression didn't change. Falco walked slowly past him.

He'd been packing his bag for a long time. This was the final straw. He had to get away. Finally he made up his mind as he watched his blood drip into the sink.

Peppy was fuming, he couldn't go to speak to either of them, he was afraid of what he might say. He had to give himself some time to calm down.

Peppy walked into Fox's room. He was laid on his back on his bed bouncing a ball of one of his walls.

"I want you to apologise to Falco, Fox" Peppy said angrily.

"You always take his side!"

"I'm not taking anyone's side"

"He started it" Fox bounced the ball off the wall again.

"I don't care who started it" Peppy said warningly "Common room 5 minutes" with that Peppy walked out of Fox's room, preparing to go through much the same thing with Falco. He was fuming still, it had been a while since he had had to referee one of their fights, he had thought they'd grown out of it.

Peppy was surprised by the unusual disorder in Falco's room. His clothes were strewn about over the floor. Peppy looked around the room. Falco was not in his bed or sat at the computer table by the door. Peppy crossed the room quickly and knocked on the bathroom door. There was no answer.

"Falco answer me or I'll come in anyway"

Still no answer. Peppy was getting very angry by now, but a small part of him started to feel worried too. Peppy pushed the door. It slid open.

"Falco..." The room was empty. Peppy looked round. Aside from a large quantity of blood splattered round the sink there was no evidence of Falco's presence. Part of Peppy panicked.

"Falco?!" He shouted running out into the main part of his room. Peppy gazed around it in a new light. The photo frames by his bed were empty, his cupboard doors gaped open as though they had been raided in a hurry, and a few other things were missing.

"Locate Falco Lombardi!" he screamed at the computer.

"Bio signature not found" the computer answered calmly. Peppy swallowed hard, he could hardly bare to ask the next question.

"Locate Arwing 3?"

"Arwing 3 is not onboard Great Fox or on long range sensors..."

Part 1:

STAR FOX

"_Different time, different planet..."_

"Hey McCloud, different time, different planet and you still need Falco's help... It's good to see ya buddy" Falco tried to keep up his usual sarcasm, but it was all a charade now, times had changed. Falco released the bomb on Andross before he could strike Fox's struggling Arwing again. Fox didn't have time to respond. Andross was at it again. He barrel rolled just in time. Falco circled around and hit him again... Just like before... He shook himself. He couldn't afford to lose it now or Andross would be free to rein havoc, and it really would be his mess.

The head exploded. Falco and Fox fled at top speed. Falco's adapted Arwing easily outmatched Fox's. He pulled away as they approached the ship. He had to leave... but now Fox had seen him, there was no way he could keep his secret any longer, Fox was sure to mention it... Falco spotted the shuttle coming up from the planet... surely Krystal wouldn't give him away, she owed him that much. Falco frowned, Fox had already docked... he couldn't hide anymore; besides, he would be safe, back with his friends...

Falco docked without a problem, the ship still recognised him as an ally. He walked to the common room where the team were. The door opened. It was so good to be home... The team of just three turned to look at him. He entered halfway through their conversation.

"And I can't wait to get back with the Star Fox team" That was very true, more so than they could know "Hey Fox, you don't mind me hangin' with you again do ya?" Fox frowned. For a terrible moment Falco though he was going to order him off his ship... again. Then after what felt like an eternity he smiled

"Sure thing Falco, it's great to have you back!"

"The Star Fox team is back together!" Slippy cried. Falco nodded. When none of the rest were looking Falco caught his eye and put his hand over his beak. Slippy looked disappointed and pleaded with his eyes. Falco shook his head and tapped his hand on his beak again. Slippy shook his head and looked away. Peppy watched Falco, there was something odd about him but he couldn't put his finger on it. He was just relieved to have him home again.

Next thing Krystal turned up. Falco was relieved; it took the team's attention away from him. Krystal frowned when she saw him, but then completely ignored him. They went through all the formal introductions, once Fox had gotten over himself. To Falco's continued relief Krystal treated him like a complete stranger. Fox and the team were far more interested in her, which allowed him to sink into a chair and go mostly unnoticed; he was just part of the furniture again. Krystal told her story to the team, Falco didn't listen; he knew it already. He just scanned the conversation to make sure his name didn't come up. Fox seemed hugely attracted to the female Canite, it was a shame that it would probably come to nothing.

Darkness. The stench of blood and days of dirt, vomit, acidic, hung in the air, stung at his throat. Silence. No more could he hear their groans, probably for the best. Footsteps, coming closer, the sound he'd learnt to dread. Light. It hurt his eyes, voices, laughter, calling his name...

"Ah! Get off me!"

Fox jumped back. Falco's flailing hands made contact with his arm. Falco flinched, a familiar pain searing through his fused fingers.

"Whoa..." Fox mumbled rubbing his arm. Falco hadn't hit him hard. Falco was reminded that he wasn't at his best either.

"Sorry Fox..." Falco mumbled doing his best to keep his voice level.

"I told you to let him sleep" Peppy said smiling. It was good to have them back together again, where he could keep an eye on them both. Something had changed about Falco but he still couldn't tell what it was.

"I woke you to ask if you wanted anything to eat" Falco looked up and nodded. He'd barely managed to eat anything over the last couple of days. Before that it had been all he could do to scrape a living.

"Yeah I'm starving" Falco answered. Peppy finally put his finger on it. Falco was thinner than he remembered, bordering on scrawny.

"Makes a change" Fox laughed sarcastically. Falco just shrugged. Now that definitely wasn't right Peppy thought, no cynical remark? No counter attack? Just a shrug?! There was, without doubt, something very wrong with him. Peppy sighed and got up to help Slippy in the kitchen, leaving Falco, Krystal and Fox together in the corner of the common room. Then Fox asked the dreaded question.

"So Falco, where you been all this time?" Falco froze and fought back the taste of vomit in his mouth. It was all he could do to keep his face composed. His breathing quickened. His stomach churned. Krystal looked at him.

"N-nowhere special" He finally managed to stammer. "just... chasin' ghosts" Fox frowned at his cryptic remark but realised he probably wasn't going to get anymore out of him. He turned back to Krystal and started to talk to her about something. Falco ignored them and concentrated on trying to get his pulse to return to normal. He could have told him the truth but...

The five of them ate round their table. Falco sat between Slippy and Peppy, with Fox and Krystal on the other side. Falco felt better than he had for ages with them. He almost choked when Peppy spoke to him.

"What happened to your fingers?"

The hammer came down. Falco screamed with a voice he didn't think he had left. People said you got to a certain point after which you couldn't feel any more pain. Falco knew they were wrong. The hammer fell again onto his right ring finger, smashing it to pieces...

"Faalcoo??" Fox called. Falco snapped back

"Huh?"

"Peppy asked what happened to your fingers."

"Oh err I was fixing my ship and one of the parts started to move... they got sucked in" he'd been lying a lot recently. Falco wasn't exactly sure why he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth... he guessed it hurt too much.

"Ugh..." Slippy groaned

"How come you can't move them?"

"When they healed the bones just fused like this"

"Why didn't you go to hospital, they'd have made sure they healed right" Peppy said

"I wasn't near a hospital at the time..." Falco said grimly... _"That's true"_ he mumbled in his mind.

"You should let someone look at them"

"The joints are fused. I doubt there will be anything they can do" Falco said icily. Peppy decided to let the subject drop, for now at least. Falco remained silent throughout the rest of the meal.

The team had the usual post-mission celebrations. By the time they finally went to bed Fox was very tipsy along with Krystal. Falco couldn't blame him, he must have been shaken by seeing Andross again. Falco wondered to himself if he would ever really be gone. Falco had almost never touched alcohol himself, his father had been far from giggly when he was drunk, and tonight there were lots of things he could say that he would regret. He preferred to watch the others from the safety of a chair at the side of the room.

Falco's mind was drifting away when Fox came over and sat by his side.

"Hey Falco aren't you going to join us? Any excuse for a party normally"

Falco couldn't suppress a yawn. "Nah" he shook his head.

"Alright, your loss Feathers..." Fox paused thoughtfully "Hey Falco... thanks, I owe you one"

One? Fox owed him far more than just one...

"Don't mention it Furball"

Later the team joined Falco in the set of chairs dotted about the common room. They played cards for a while, until Fox started to sulk having been beaten by Slippy twice.

"Hey Fox it's a good job your piloting skills are better than you are at cards!" Slippy cried. Fox gave him a dark look. Falco won the next three rounds much to everyone's surprise.

"Sure you're not cheating Falco?"

"Me, cheat... Would I do a thing like that?"

Falco noticed Krystal giving him a dirty look. He ignored her.

Finally they all went to bed several hours later. It had been fortunate that Fox hadn't been putting money on the cards, he would have been completely broke. In the end Peppy had wiped the floor with the rest of them. They all walked to their rooms together, Fox took Krystal to one of the guest rooms and Slippy went to his leaving Falco and Peppy alone together. Falco paused outside a familiar door. He turned to look at Peppy helplessly. He seemed to read what was on his mind.

"You've only been gone six weeks, your room's still where you left it"

Falco was relieved and then shocked

"Only six weeks..." he managed to say. It felt more like an eternity.

"Yes..." Peppy said quietly

Falco bid him a quiet goodnight and staggered into his room.

"Six weeks too long..." Peppy mumbled to himself as he walked to his room next-door.

Falco was startled when he came into his room, his clothes that he had left on the floor in his hurry to leave had been folded and put away and the blood had been washed from his sink; apart from that everything was how he had left it. Falco sat down on his bed, the whole experience feeling a little unreal. He'd imagined coming home so many times actually being back seemed too good to be true. He paused looking at his bedside table. One of his photo albums was laid open on it. The picture the page was open on showed him when he was much younger sat on Peppy's shoulders smiling and waving at the camera with one hand and holding onto Peppy's ear with the other. Falco looked at the photo more closely, Peppy looked really happy in it too. Suddenly he was consumed with guilt, the pain he must have caused when he just ran out. It had been one of the biggest mistakes he'd ever made... a mistake that had cost lives...

His team, so young, full of life; one even younger than he was. Little Salty, he'd always been so happy; he always smiled when he saw Falco. He reminded him of Slippy. They would have been a match for one another if he had been given the chance to live...

Falco brushed tears from his face. Of all his team he was the last person who deserved to survive. Why had it been him? Why had he been the one that got out?... Falco looked back at the photo of him and Peppy. He reached out his crippled hand to touch it, then with his fingers inches away he snatched them back and looked away out of his window into space.

Falco looked up at the sound of a soft knock at his door.

"Come in" he said quietly. Peppy opened the door and came inside. He was stunned when he saw Falco's bare arms as he sat on the side of his bed. He hid expression quickly; fortunately Falco didn't appear to notice.

"I just realised that with Krystal and everything I never welcomed you back" Peppy said gently sitting by his side on the bed. Falco smiled but couldn't find anything to say. Peppy touched his scarred arm, Falco flinched for a moment then relaxed, it had been so long since he'd felt a friendly touch.

"What happened? Your arms your hand..."

"I had it rough the last little while" he said _-"that's the understatement of my life"_ Falco thought.

"Looks like you had it really rough" Peppy said slowly. Falco couldn't bring himself to talk; he'd survived by not thinking about it.

"I missed you Peppy..." Falco finally managed to stammer.

"We _all_ missed you little one"

"I wish I'd never left..." Falco couldn't bring himself to say anymore, he forced back tears and again the taste of vomit. He couldn't cry in front of Peppy, not now, and especially not for _that_ reason. Peppy put his arm round his shoulder and squeezed briefly.

"You're home now. You know where I am if you need me" Peppy stood up. Falco looked up through blurred vision and nodded. "Just in case you feel like talking" With that Peppy walked quietly out of the room.

Falco watched him go. Slowly he walked to his bathroom. As he ran a bath he stared at his reflection in the mirror. The face that looked back at him was different to how he remembered, he wasn't sure how, but he had changed. It had been along time since he'd seen his reflection properly. Other times he'd been shocked when he saw it in streams or puddles of blood, he'd watched part of himself melt away in snatched glimpses of his face. What he'd lost he would never get back.

Thoughtfully Peppy returned to his room. Falco had changed, the look in his eyes seemed so different now somehow, yet, oddly familiar... He sighed to himself. It was good to have him home. He would talk about what had happened in his own time, he couldn't force him.

Falco sat in the warm water. A proper, hot bath, something he hadn't had for a very long time. The dirt, a mixture of black and red came out of his feathers, the stains cold rivers couldn't remove. He scratched mildly at his arms, the itchy scars of healing wounds. The warmth soothed his aching body and for the first time in moths, just for a moment, nowhere hurt.

He curled up in bed, it was warm and safe. He had to keep telling himself that, the part of him that had been awake for four weeks wouldn't relax; it kept searching the room for monsters...

"_It's dark. That's good; I've come to fear the light. It doesn't hurt, providing I don't move. I must have passed out. I didn't want to wake up. But they won't let me go. The others, they escaped long ago. At least, I can't hear them anymore. I can't hear anything except the soft rasp of my breathing, the sound I wish would cease. It will soon... I won't survive this much longer..." _

Falco picked himself up from the floor by his bed. He walked unsteadily into his bathroom rubbing at his ribcage. Sometimes it still hurt to breathe. He lent over his sink and tried to wash the sweat and tears from his face. Blue feathers fell down and stuck in the plughole. Falco wondered mildly if he was loosing his mind. Maybe he'd already lost it. He checked briefly one of the scars on the top of his head, he was grateful for being covered in feathers. He returned slowly to his bed, hoping for, but not expecting better dreams.

Falco looked down the scope of the sniper rifle. He only had time for one shot, yet he had three targets. He crossed the row with the scope; he could see all three of his team mates faces', the terror in their eyes. He couldn't bring himself to save one and not the others. He was too late; the guards executed all three in one go.

He was on the floor again, crying this time. It seemed he'd grown accustomed to the ground; a bed was unusual, even the carpet felt too soft. Falco tried his best to smother the tears but they just kept coming, his sobs hurt every fibre of his weak body. He wished Peppy was there with him. In all that time before he'd cried out for him and sometimes his mother, never his father. Now that Peppy was so close, he couldn't bring himself to call him, he knew he would come if he did but part of him was afraid. Afraid that what he would say would hurt him...

Next morning they all sat around in the common room, Fox talking to Krystal who was finally fully clothed, Slippy fiddling with one of his inventions, Peppy reading a long and boring looking book. Falco sat staring out of the window his eyes feeling heavy. After the night before he'd been growing afraid to sleep. He was sliding away when a bleeping stirred him, an incoming message. Fox stood up.

"It's General Pepper" he told them. Falco's heart missed a beat. He leapt to his feet and started to run for the door.

"Good morning Star Fox tea- Falco!!" General Pepper locked his eyes on Falco who stopped mid-stride and turned to face the screen. Caught.

"General" He answered harshly.

"You look like you've seen a ghost sir" Fox commented. Pepper and Falco's eyes were still locked. Pepper dragged them away to look at Fox.

"Fox I thought you said Falco had left your team?" Falco's scowl deepened.

"He rejoined us after the battle against Andross-" Fox began to answer

"You can speak to _me_ sir" Falco said venomously. The whole team starred at him.

"Falco-" Peppy started to say.

"I'm glad to see you're safe" General Pepper said slowly

"Yeah right, betraying, old, bastard!" Falco said angrily before swearing at him with a hand gesture and leaving the room. There was a stunned pause then Pepper decided he'd better say something.

"Fox, I will not have a member of your team speaking to me like that!" he said more shakily than he would have liked.

"... Err sorry General" Fox stammered, completely stunned. Falco may as well have punched him in the face.

"I'll make sure he doesn't do that again" Peppy said angrily.

"Good... Come to Corneria Fox, the usual welcome awaits you. Bring Falco too; I'd like to have a word with him"

At that the general cut the comm. Fox looked at Peppy, still stunned.

"What was all that about?"

"I don't know but I'm going to find out"

"Go easy on him Peppy!" Slippy cried. His secret beginning to worry him all the more.

Falco's door was locked. Peppy overrode it and stormed into his room. Falco was laid on his back staring up at the bland ceiling, his expression empty.

"What the hell was that?" Peppy asked angrily. Falco didn't respond. "You do not speak to the Cornerian Minister of Defence like that! At least not while you wear that uniform!" Falco still didn't respond. Peppy came over to the bed. "Answer me!"

Falco continued to stare at the ceiling. "Come on you seemed to have a lot to say for yourself then, what about now?"

"Go away" Falco said bluntly, his expression unchanged.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Peppy asked moving closer, barely keeping in control of his anger. Falco closed his eyes and spoke.

"Go on hit me, everyone else does. I don't care anymore." Peppy missed a stride.

"H-hit you? I've never done anything like that..."

Falco opened his eyes again and continued to stare at the ceiling. Peppy began to feel his discipline session was going wrong.

"Believe me; nothing you can do will make any difference to how I feel about _him_"

"Why- why did you say that Falco?" Peppy asked, hurt.

"Please go away" Falco said with desperation in his voice

"No. Why did you say that?"

"It doesn't matter" Falco closed his eyes again.

"I'm asking you"

"Go away. Don't get involved in something you don't understand" the venom returned to Falco's voice.

"Do not speak to me like that. I don't know what you did while you weren't with us but it doesn't give you the right to backchat me or anyone else"

"Sorry" Falco's voice was flat. It made Peppy angry.

"I don't want to see you for a while Falco and I don't think Fox will either. You stay here until you've gotten your mouth under control."

Peppy left the room.

Falco lay on the bed burning. He was furious like he'd never been before. He was angrier at Pepper than he'd ever been angry at anyone in his life. He was just angry, before he would have though he would have wanted to hurt Pepper, but now he was just angry. He'd seen too much hurt, he'd seen enough hurt to last a lifetime. He was sad too that he'd upset Peppy, he didn't want Peppy to be mad with him... tears started to trickle down his face. If anyone would understand it was him.

"I'm sorry Peppy..." he said into the quiet of his room.

Peppy slumped into a chair in the common room.

"What's wrong Pep'?" Fox asked

"Nothing" He lied. Peppy was hurt and stunned by Falco's words. The idea that he could think that he would do that to him hurt him deeply. He didn't understand what had happened to Falco. He could feel Krystal, Fox and Slippy all looking at him. He decided he should put it to the back of his mind and try to seem casual, he was thinking too much again.

"Is Falco ok?" Slippy asked. Peppy looked up, for a moment his anger returned

"Yes"

"Good" Slippy mumbled a little uneasily.

Sometime later Krystal stood up.

"Excuse me a moment" She walked out of the room towards the crew quarters. Peppy looked to Fox who shrugged.

Peppy hadn't locked Falco's door so Krystal let herself in. Falco was still staring blankly at the ceiling

"What do you want?" He asked coldly without looking up.

"To talk to you"

"Why? Come to gloat?"

"You need to get up and get on with it." She said. Falco sat up suddenly.

"How can you even say that? You cannot comprehend what I went through. You've never even been near that kind of situation!" he shouted.

"No. but you also know I've been at this longer than you-"

"So what? What did you get-trade disputes, civil uprisings?"

"Maybe but _I_ never got anyone killed"

"Fuck you!" Falco screamed standing up.

"I work alone. I don't bring anyone else into it"

"Bullshit-what was that with the Krazoa then? You left me to tidy up your mess. If I hadn't helped you, you would have been dead and half the system along with you!"

"All you did was finish what McCloud couldn't handle"

"_Fox_ was left to do _your _job! If you'd done it right he wouldn't have had to get involved! You work alone... bullshit, as soon as things got tough you were calling out with everything you had! _"Help, help I'm dying" _What the fuck did you think I was doing in the Behemoth? Having a holiday? No-one came to help _us_..."

"We don't expect help-"

"Then why were you calling out to Fox and me?"

"You were in the area"

"I came to help the CloudRunner. You were a little detail I could have done without. I didn't need to share my strength with you; I didn't exactly have much to go around. You nearly let Andross rip the system apart again!"

"Believe what you want. We'll see who lives longer" Krystal scoffed

"You'll only live longer by keeping your pretty little muzzle away from anything serious! You've found your answers so get lost. And Krystal, if you have no intention of staying with Fox let him know. The last thing he needs is you playing with him, he doesn't disserve it."

"So I heard."

"The best thing you can do is fuck the hell off and leave me and my team alone. Now get out of my room."

Falco locked the door behind her. Despite his anger she was right, he had gotten them killed. His anger paled to the familiar, gnawing pain in his chest of grief and guilt... everything had gone so very, very wrong...

Sometime later Falco ventured out of his room. He walked quietly down the corridors hoping to avoid everyone. The gun on his hip stopped him feeling quite as vulnerable, next time he'd go down fighting.

The holographic targets flashed up. Falco drew his blaster and shot them. His aim had improved since the last time he'd been here. The computer bleeped as he smashed Fox's record. He narrowly spun round in time to shoot one of the attack bots coming from behind him. His senses were more in tune than they had been, they had to be. Falco had almost doubled Fox's previous record before he was overwhelmed by attack bots and one finally dropped him with a mild electric shock.

"Training session over" the computer said calmly. Falco lay on the floor where he had fallen, panting hard, familiar pains started to return and with them memories...

Falco lay writhing on the floor, a dark shadow across his body. The heavy foot made contact with his chest again before finally walking out of the room and locking the door behind it.

He blinked and stood up slowly. He felt better having blown off some steam, but now without the anger he seemed to feel nothing, nothing at all. He was emotionally numb, but the pain in his limbs more than made up for that. He turned the safety on his gun back on and walked slowly out of the room.

He didn't see where he was walking; he didn't hear footsteps approaching him from behind. A small voice called his name

"Falco?" He turned.

Something flashed across his field of vision. A young, grey brown rabbit face looked up at him curiously.

"Salty?..." Falco heard himself say.

"Who's that?" There was a flash again and Falco found himself looking at Slippy's concerned face. The knives drove through his chest. How he remained standing at that moment he never understood. Slippy's face was scared. Falco forced a smile but he obviously didn't buy it.

"I'm gunna call Peppy..."

"No!"

"Would you stop it with the secrecy thing Falco you're scaring me!"

"I'm sorry Slip" Falco said slowly.

"Please tell us what happened..."

"No..."

"It wont be a secret forever Falco!"

"It will if you keep your big mouth shut!" Falco said violently. The look in his eyes sent a chill down Slippy's spine; Falco had _never_ looked at him like that before. With that Falco was gone down the corridor before he got over the shock and could give chase. Slippy stood stunned as he listened to the sound of his retreating feet. If he had to keep quiet much longer he would explode.

Falco had to get back to his room before he lost it or before he ran into anyone else. He couldn't allow that to happen again, he had to ensure he could keep his emotions in check. He ran into his room and closed the door behind him, he lent on it panting as he fought the ongoing battle with his memory. His mind. Finally once he was calmer he managed to write a short note:

Go away, sleeping.

And stick it to the outside of his door. If he managed to sleep he didn't want to be woken by one of them, if he left a message on the computer there was a risk they would miss it. That done he curled up in bed. _"I must have passed out. I didn't want to wake up. But they won't let me go."_ Falco's thoughts betrayed him. He found himself again wishing for the empty darkness of unconsciousness, if not death. He turned over and hoped to sleep.

It was raining. The sky was grey, the ground was grey; the world seemed to have lost its colour. People clad in black plodded along slowly behind a light coffin. It was Silver's funeral. The coffin was pointless, a futile gesture. Her body never left the Behemoth, or at least what was left of it when they were finished with her. There were lots of fresh graves, but not nearly enough mourners to go around. The world was silent except for the drawling speech of the priest, trying to remember a girl he never knew. He got paid at the end of the day; she was just one more...

Falco opened his eyes. Only a few moments had passed. He fought back a tide of nausea. The pain was still there, worse than any amount of physical violence could ever inflict. He sighed, it was a slight improvement, he wasn't on the floor this time. Maybe it would ease, given time...

The moments ticked by, they seemed to stretch out into hours. Peppy had once told him that in times of trouble a second can stretch to an eternity. Falco understood what he meant. He lay staring at the ceiling, finally he decided he was loosing his mind. The pain it seemed would just keep eating away at him until there was nothing left but a shell, a crippled body. Before the idea would have frightened him, now it seemed he didn't have the strength left to be afraid.

Tyson flew on the other side of the shuttle. A huge shadow followed them, then the fighters started to attack. Falco was suddenly out of escort position, Tyson called out for help, the shuttle was being overwhelmed. Falco watched it explode then Tyson's ship was destroyed too. Suddenly Falco was floating in an empty area of space, the quiet bleep of the homing beacon roused him. Great Fox was near by. But Falco knew he could never ever go home...

This was ridiculous. Falco dragged himself up, he was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep without the nightmares. Sooner or later he would surely collapse from fatigue. He walked to the common room slowly, thinking to himself. A hard blow to the head would put him out... or there were lots of sedatives in the infirmary, but he'd probably need Peppy's help with that. There was cyanide in the armoury. He pushed that thought away. He wasn't that desperate again yet. When he entered the common room he was relieved to see Krystal and Fox were absent. Peppy looked up briefly when he entered then ignored him. He sank into a chair next to him. Slippy spoke.

"You weren't asleep for long" Falco noticed Peppy tune in on the conversation.

"I can't sleep in the middle of the day" That was partially true, he couldn't sleep at all.

"Oh really, never stopped you before" Slippy said. Falco just shrugged and suppressed a yawn. There was silence for a few moments then Slippy tried again "You made some modifications to your Arwing... will you show me how they work" Salty's legacy passed on to Slippy, how appropriate... Falco shook himself from his thoughts

"Yes, but not now, another time ok Slip, I promise"

"Alright..."

"Don't touch until I'm there to show you ok?"

"I know better than to play with something I don't understand." That made both Falco and Peppy laugh. Slippy looked up "That's the first time I've seen you laugh since you came home Falco" It was nice to see Peppy laugh too...

"Careful Slip, psychology's supposed to be Peppy's area, he could get jealous"

Peppy looked up and frowned at that but decided to keep quiet. Falco was smiling, Slippy had a point.

There was silence for a long time. The quiet seemed to drill into Falco's mind. Finally he touched Slippy's shoulder.

"Fancy a run on the flight simulator, I haven't beaten you up for a while"

"Alright" Slippy said. Peppy was about to speak but he realised he wasn't invited.

Slippy followed Falco until they reached a junction in the corridor. Slippy stopped but Falco carried on walking.

"Err Falco the flight sim's this way" Falco looked back over his shoulder.

"We're not going to the flight simulator. Slippy I haven't been away that long, I still know my way around our ship"

"Oh... so where are we going?" Falco looked blank for a moment then smiled.

"You'll see" he grinned mischievously, Slippy noticed a little of the old Falco sparkle in his eyes. He walked off again.

It took a while for Slippy to realise where Falco was taking him, it had been so long since he'd been there. By the time Falco slipped into a gap in one of the walls he knew where they were going and wasn't surprised.

"Still fit Slip?" A voice asked from behind one of the walls.

"Yes" Slippy said as he squeezed through the gap. Falco floated a few feet away. The space they were in had been an accident in Great Fox's design. There was a gap between where some of the bulkheads and floors attached to the inner hull, leaving a large void several decks high between the end of the corridors and the hull. The G-diffuser didn't work on those sections, which was what allowed Falco to float. He grinned at Slippy in the sparse light.

"Do you remember when we found this place?" he asked pulling himself upwards.

"Yeah, hide and seek wasn't it?"

"Mm... Fox would never have found us if we hadn't said anything" Falco found what he was looking for. Light flooded the space from strategically placed light bulbs. "Cool, the lights still work"

"Course they do, I fitted them" Slippy said happily.

"First time for everything I suppose" Falco laughed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Falco chuckled to himself and pulled against the hull to get to the top. He put his hand into a space between two rafters and pulled something out.

"I wondered what I did with this..." He tossed something to Slippy where he floated a few feet below. Slippy was surprised to see one of his prized tools.

"I know where to look next time I loose something..." Slippy said slowly.

"Hey not guilty, I didn't steal your belt" Falco said holding up his hands.

"Oh I found it"

"Where?"

"...my cupboard... under a coat"

Falco laughed and turned back to the rafters. Slippy floated up beside him and looked into the space.

"You sure you're not a magpie?" he asked. Falco grinned.

"You can't tell me you don't have a stockpile somewhere"

"Well..." Slippy started to say "Hey that's mine too!" reaching into the rafters and pulling out a ball.

"I helped everyone out when I nicked that, you were gunna kill us with that thing!"

Slippy looked hurt for a moment but then smiled and put the ball in his pocket.

"What else you got in there?"

"This and that... and some gunk I think used to be a banana"

"Eww..."

"Yeah perhaps best not to look... I'll put Fox and Peppy's stuff back gradually."

"What you got of Peppy's in there?" Slippy asked shocked.

"Stuff I borrowed and forgot to give back... I thought he would be angry if he realised I had had them for so long..." Falco put his hand back into the space and pulled out the rest of the things and let them float in front of him. "Ugh banana gunk" he rubbed his hand on his trousers.

"Hey what's this?" Slippy asked plucking a chain out of the air. Falco came over to him to look. He took the chain out of his hand.

"Granddad's dog-tag... he wasn't wearing it the day he died..." Falco looked down sadly. Slippy got the impression he'd put his foot in it. Falco wondered where his strike team's were.

"Sorry dude" Slippy said gently. Falco snapped out of it, he'd been happy, he was going to hang onto it for as long as possible. He remembered suddenly he wasn't wearing his. He put his grandfathers round his neck.

"That's ok... What else we got here...?" Falco pushed gently at the floating pile. "Oh... I forgot I even had that" he said suddenly.

"What?"

"This!" Falco pulled the trigger of a water-pistol into Slippy's face and pushed down away from him laughing. "Fox's is in there somewhere, I bet you can't catch me!"

Falco felt something wet hit his back. "Guess I loose" he said before over dramatising rolling over onto his back. He let his water pistol float away. He somersaulted so that he was hanging upside down. Facing Slippy.

"Err Slip..." Falco began slowly. He watched a scrap of paper with one of his drawings on it drift past. "I brought you here to say sorry" Slippy paused as he was about to shoot a piece of old Cornerian currency.

"What for?"

"This morning. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I'm sorry I'm asking you to keep it a secret. Once we get to Corneria it will probably all come out anyway, I'd appreciate it if we could just keep it between you and me until then ok?"

"If you promise I can tell them when we get to Corneria."

"Tell away, I'm going to need all the help I can get when we get there"

"Why?"

Falco was quiet for a long time. He closed his eyes for so long Slippy wondered if he'd fallen asleep. "You'll understand when we get there... Slippy... don't let me see General Pepper on my own..."

"Why not? I can't come into his office if he wants you by yourself..." Slippy tried to ignore the look in his eyes when he said it

"Never mind..." Falco plucked a piece of paper out of the air in front of him. He turned it over so that he looked at the writing. He read it. "Hey listen to this Slip' "Great Fox is soo big, I got lost again today. I was so imbarresed, Peppy sent Fox to lok for me. He was relly meen wen he found me. I fink I was somewere neer the hidroponiks bay. All these coradors lok the same! Fox shudn't be so nasty, hes bean on this ship 2 years longer than me. It's too big for me to get ust to in a week..." My spelling was terrible" Falco commented handing Slippy the piece of paper.

"It still is" He said scanning the page.

"Mean" Falco said pulling a hurt face. Slippy looked up and smiled.

"How old were you when you wrote this?"

"About eight" Falco answered pulling another piece of floating paper towards him. "Just after I joined the team" he examined the paper, a drawing of an Arwing. He let it go again and watched Slippy bob around the space.

"Fancy that run on the flight sim. now Slip? I for one could use the practise"

Slippy turned to look at Falco, it struck him as very hard to take him seriously while he continued to float upside down.

"Alright" he finally said.

"Zoness?... Of all places Falco why here? I thought you hated this shithole"

As the two Arwings glided along side by side Falco considered Slippy's words. He wasn't sure why his hand had come to rest over Zoness as he selected a planet for their flight run.

"I'm not sure..." Falco looked round the simulated cockpit "Right Slip stay sharp, its just you and me remember Fox and Peppy have backed out"

"Ok..." Slippy answered a little confused. The computer could simulate their presence.

"Here we go!" Falco cried as the firsts of the enemy ships began to attack. Falco led the way. He ploughed his way through several ships before one got a lock on him. Slippy crossed his bow as a hail of fire rained down on him. He barrel rolled and swerved away.

"Enemy base on scanners" Slippy reported in. The computer ensured the missions were different each time.

"Alright Slippy, standard attack runs, lets wipe 'em out!"

He pulled his ship round and finally managed to take out the ship that had been trailing him since the run began. The fighters seemed to back off then.

"Alright Slip' hit the deck, we'll go in low and fast, they won't know what's hit them!"

"Right Falco" Slippy flew at Falco's wing, meters above Zoness' polluted waters.

"Whoa watch out!" Falco cried and pulled away. Slippy wasn't quick enough. A hail of fire hit him from a submarine just surfaced.

"Ahhh!!" he cried. Falco watched his shields drain. He came round after him.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Falco asked angrily as he dropped three bombs on the sub. Crippled it left Slippy alone. A final shot finished it off.

"Phew, thanks Falco I owe you one"

"Ah who's counting?... Home in on the base"

"5000 metres and falling" Slippy told him.

"I have a visual"

"I envy your eyes sometimes!" Slippy cried.

"Pull up for bombing runs, you concentrate on the buildings, I'll deal with the defences and air units"

"Roger"

Falco and Slippy separated. Falco sought out the anti-aircraft guns and destroyed them on the floating base. "East side's clear Slip, concentrate there for now"

He didn't respond but the sounds of large explosions told Falco he was doing his job. Suddenly alarms started to scream. A whole squadron of fighters pounded Falco with fire. He took some of them but was overwhelmed and driven towards the bile yellow sea. He barely managed to pull out in time. His shields well into the red.

"Slippy you're gunna have company!!" Falco shouted as he fought to regain control of his struggling ship. Sense told him to back out, but he couldn't leave Slippy alone. He turned to home in on his position.

"A little help here Falco!" Slippy cried. Falco closed in. A hail of fire blew up Slippy's pursuers. "Cutting it a little close aren't we buddy??"

"Hey I had my own problems!!" Falco now found himself faced with a sickeningly familiar decision. He was still regretting the last one he'd made. Still he had to decide. Slippy's shields were really low.

"Slippy, drop the lasts of you bombs and retreat"

"I though you'd never say" Slippy dropped the lasts of his bombs as did Falco and they ploughed away from the damaged, but surviving base.

The simulator shut down. Slippy got out of the one by Falco's side and found him leaning on the control panel with his head in his hands.

"I screwed up Slippy!" He cried.

"Why?"

"The base was still intact!"

"But we both got out alive. Some of those missions are impossible, Falco you know that! Some of them are about knowing when you're beaten. We were overwhelmed, there was no way we could do all that with two ships. You had to decide to withdraw and you did, that's what that mission was testing, any longer and there wouldn't have been anyone left to retreat!"

Falco didn't answer. The memory of the last command decision he'd made came sickeningly back. But Slippy had a point. The circumstances were different. This time he'd done what was right.

"Yeah I suppose Slip'"

"Lets see the computer evaluation!"

Slippy walked over to the central computer panel and pulled up their flight evaluations.

"Hey Falco 74 targets, that's good! And a 10 point bonus for the sub. Aw I only got 53."

Falco wondered sadly how many people he'd killed in the last six weeks. He came to look over Slippy's shoulder and drew up the command evaluation.

"See 86, that's good Falco, even Fox and Peppy don't get that much normally and they outrank you."

Falco read the report briefly. He'd lost points for allowing both of their shields to enter the red before withdrawing and for not sticking close enough to Slippy when providing air cover. Mistakes he found he could live with as the systems praised his other decisions.

"See Falco, you got it right." Slippy said gently.

Falco smiled at him "you wanna go again?"

"Maybe we should ask Peppy and Fox, Krystal might even join us"

"Krystal can't fly combat vessels" Falco said bitterly. He only noticed a few seconds later the mistake he'd made.

"How'd you know that?" Slippy asked.

"Oh she told me" Falco covered quickly.

"Well maybe she can watch, I've missed flying with all four of us together."

"So have I... Alright Slip' lets go ask. It'll be fun provided neither of them bite my head of."

"Peppy's mouth's not that big" Slippy chuckled

"Thanks Slip' real reassuring"

They entered the common room. Peppy was still there, again absorbed in one of his books. Fox and Krystal were still absent.

"Hey Pep' where's Fox?" Slippy asked

"Off with Krystal" Peppy said without looking up.

Slippy flashed Falco a wry smile but was shocked by his expression.

"You really don't like her do you?" Slippy asked

"No." Falco said forcefully "She'll only hurt him" he sighed sitting down.

Slippy looked at him briefly but he offered no more reasons for his opinion.

"Will you come for a flight in the simulator with us later Peppy?" Slippy asked

"I thought that was where you were"

"yeah, but we wanted to fly all together again, like we used to" Slippy said

Peppy paused. The worry and heartache of the last six weeks resurfacing.

"Alright, but you'll have to wait until Fox comes back" Slippy nodded.

Fox returned to the common room a little later. Alone. His face glum.

"Where's Krystal?" Peppy asked.

"Gone" Fox said sadly

"Where?"

"Dunno, she said she never hangs around in one place for long, thanked us for out hospitality and then just left"

Falco breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"Never mind Foxy" Peppy said gently.

"Yeah buddy, you're better off without her" Falco said as kindly as he could. Fox looked at him, his expression unreadable. "Don't worry, we still love you" Falco added smiling.

"Speak for yourself Falco!" Slippy said.

Falco gave him a dirty look as Fox sank into a chair.

"You want a run on the simulator Foxy? Like the old days" Falco asked

"Yeah please Fox" Slippy pleaded. Fox looked round and realised there was no real way he was going to get out of it.

"oh alright"

The four of them walked the corridors together. Slippy and Peppy in front Falco next and Fox trailing thoughtfully behind. Falco dropped back to talk to him.

"Cheer up, there's plenty more foxes in the forest"

Fox looked at him briefly and smiled.

"Why didn't you like her?" he asked

"We had words." That was another understatement "And frankly, though it pains me to say it, _you can do better_" Falco smiled despite the memories, the pains welling up in him. Fox grinned.

"That's a first coming from you" Fox laughed. Falco shrugged and followed him into he simulator room.

"I dunno Tyson's kinda cute" Silver giggled

"You'd like Fox then, I'll introduce you when this is over" Falco said. The image suddenly started to bleed away. Silver's fine features twisted.

"Silver..." Falco said out loud

"No, I said red or green" Fox smiled and shook his head "Slippy?"

"Green!" Slippy said.

Falco shook his head and watched Fox toss a coin.

"Ok Slip' you're with me" he said before climbing into one of the simulators. Falco gathered they had decided on a two-on-two match. He climbed into another of the units.

"where we goin' again?" Falco asked

"haven't decided yet" Fox answered. "fancy anywhere in particular?"

"Anywhere but sector X" Falco heard himself say.

"What about Katina?" Peppy asked

"Nah too open" Fox commented "...What about Myrin, lots of mountains, caves and stuff for cover."

"North, south or equatorial" Slippy asked.

"North, snow should make life more interesting, 300 mile arena. Everyone ok with that?"

"Yep" everyone said.

The team had only ever flown over Myrin once, it was uninhabited except for a small outpost, they had been employed on search and rescue hunting for a downed shuttle. In the end Peppy had found it buried in a snowdrift. By the time they found it half the crew were dead, but they managed to save 5 from the elements. The ones they had rescued had been grateful, which was what made the job worthwhile.

The screen flicked into life. Snow bombarded the cabin, high wind speeds made going in a straight line difficult. Falco noted Peppy's Arwing a little ahead of him, but without the scanners he would barely know he was there. The visibility was so bad Falco could only just see the front of the ship.

"heck Pep' I can barely see my nose!" Falco commented, hoping to break the silence that had been between them since the morning.

"Come on" Peppy said pulling away to the left. Falco followed him.

Fox and Slippy flew along on the other side of the arena

"Any ideas Slip?" Fox asked

"nope..."

"Well lets use this snow to our advantage, I can't see jack shit out here. Lets try to separate them and bring them down one by one."

"Like wolves in a flock of sheep?"

"Yep, split them then concentrate your fire on Peppy, until Falco finds us again then hit the deck and loose them in the white"

"Ok Fox, go in low and fast and they might miss us on scanners"

"Righty ho!"

Falco could only see Peppy by the light of his engine. He tried again

"Peppy..."

"keep your eyes open"

"Peppy- Fox and Slippy comin' from below!" Falco shouted.

Before they knew what was happening Fox shot up between them forcing them to split in separate directions. Falco pulled up and away to the right in doing so lost sight of him completely. The scanner told him that Fox and Slippy were chasing Peppy, not letting him get a shot in, keeping him running. Falco knew the game they were playing, he'd done it himself. He cut all but the important systems and allowed his Arwing to drop like a stone.

"Fox, Falco's gone of radar!"

"Stay sharp Slip"

Falco switched everything he had on at once, his Arwing lit up lit a Christmas tree.

"Cruel game to play Fox" He said angrily as he bombarded them with fire. Peppy trailing smoke was an easy target. Falco cut in, in front of them and swerved about barrel rolling, covering Peppy's tail. Slippy and Fox backed off.

"Phew thanks Falco" Peppy said.

"No problem" Falco answered "Hey how about we do a little ambushing of our own? There's a cave coming up big enough for one of us to sit in"

"What'd you have in mind?"

"Fancy playing bait again?..."

"Hey Fox, I've got Peppy on my scanners. I can't see Falco though. He's up ahead crossing over a mountain range, really slow, do you think Falco left him behind?"

"I doubt it, but whatever they're planning Peppy's as good as down anyway. We can finish him. Come on!"

Fox and Slippy flew up behind Peppy. They didn't fire immediately, to their cost. Fox's alarms started to scream, someone had a lock on him. Then a bomb slammed into to his side. Coupled with the wind he was knocked down and away from Peppy. Before Slippy knew what was happening he was under fire from both Arwings. Seconds before they could finish him Fox was back. He shot Falco forcing him to leave Slippy alone and dive into the white mist. Fox and Slippy could now bear down on Peppy again. Falco turned his Arwing back, against the wind. He couldn't get there quick enough. Fox took him.

"Arrh!"

"Peppy!!" Falco screamed. -A shadow hunted him. Friendly voices screamed out in agony. Falco was powerless to help them. He wanted revenge.

A silver and purple arrow emerged form the snowstorm. Fox was vaporised by a bomb before he knew what hit him. Falco's wing came through the canopy of Slippy's cockpit. Peppy heard him scream from outside. Falco rampaged on, anger burning from some recess in the depths of his soul.

The simulator shut down. Falco blinked as light flooded the compartment. It was all just a game.

"That's one hell scary way of killing me Falco!" Slippy screamed. Falco jumped and nearly fell out the other side of the simulator.

"Interesting method, if a little insane!" Fox cried.

"I- I" Falco stammered.

"You alright?" Peppy asked suddenly concerned. Falco continued to move his mouth without saying anything. He hadn't felt like that since they had shown him Salty's body. The pain...

"Peppy..." Falco finally managed to say out loud. Peppy was standing closer to him now, leaning into the simulator. Only Peppy saw the tears running down his face. Falco looked up at him, his eyes scared. Then he blinked and a mask seemed to drop over his face. Erasing what went before. He peered past Peppy to Fox and Slippy.

"We won didn't we?" he asked.

"Well..."

"You wanna go again?" Falco asked, anything to escape Peppy's gaze.

"Nah, it's getting late. We haven't had tea yet"

"Fox do you ever think about anything but food?"

"Hey I've been living off dinosaur food for the last few weeks, give me junk food any day!"

Falco could sympathise there.

"It's your night to cook Falco"

"And mine" Peppy said quickly

"Come on then. I'm hungry" Fox said happily.

Fox and Slippy chattered about where they went wrong as they walked along. Peppy walked close to Falco's side but said nothing. Only once they were in the kitchen at the back of the common room did he speak.

"Are you alright?" Falco bent to find a frying pan in one of the cupboards. He answered without looking at Peppy.

"Yes" he couldn't look him in the eye and lie to him. He wanted to say "I'm far from alright" but couldn't bring himself to. Peppy paused looking in the fridge for inspiration.

"You wouldn't use a move like that outside of the simulator would you? A little more to the right and you would have been dead too"

Falco found the pan but didn't stand up "I have used it before"

"I don't remember that" Peppy said.

"You wouldn't, you were sectors away" Falco said only to himself and the cupboard. When he finally did stand up he just shrugged and put the frying pan on the heat. It had been a while since he'd cooked with a proper oven. He used to like to cook. Peppy chopped the stuff up for the omelette much to Falco's relief. He still had problems with holding the knife with only three usable fingers. Falco found the plates and beat the eggs.

Falco wasn't hungry. He chased the same piece of egg around the plate for what felt like hours. They sat around the table, not much had changed here since before Falco had left, but no-matter how hard he tried he couldn't slip back into his usual role in the team. The media liked to see him as the "arrogant Avion", he'd never been like that, but now he seemed to take things more seriously than he used to. Life seemed fragile, cruel and terribly short. He'd been bled of his arrogance in a stinking cell.

Fox and Slippy went to bed not much later. Fox's injury's thought he never complained were draining him. Falco noted he walked with a limp. Slippy the youngest always went to bed earlier. Falco would have liked nothing more than to sleep, but now he was terrified of the nightmares sleep would always bring.

When Peppy finally left the common room some hours later Falco followed him.

"You're like a lost sheep tonight Falco" Peppy said as they walked to their rooms.

"I just didn't feel like sleeping or sitting there on my own"

Peppy paused for a moment, then carried on. He thought to himself how wrong he'd been. He had thought that when Falco came back the worry would go away. So far it hadn't.

"Goodnight Peppy" Falco said in a voice that seemed quieter than he remembered.

"Goodnight little one" Peppy watched his door close "I used to understand you Falco. I don't anymore, how much can someone change in six weeks?"

He walked off thoughtfully, maybe he would be better once he got into the swing of things again.

Falco got changed slowly. If he moved too quickly in an odd direction he could tear one of his wounds. They didn't bother him as much as they had but they still hurt. As he pulled off his shirt he heard something metallic rattle. He looked down, his granddad's dog-tag. Falco turned and rummaged through the few things he'd brought back. Finally he found what he was looking for. The silver slate the army used for identifying bodies, his dog-tag. He let his eyes fall on it.

_Lombardi, Falco_

_Avion _

_0795868_

He pulled Falco up by the tag. If he hadn't been held by the guards he would have struggled, as it was he was helpless. He was forced to stare at that ugly face.

"Lombardi eh? That's a familiar name isn't it?"

The other man grunted in response.

"We're gunna have lots of fun with _you _Star Fox, and once we're bored maybe we'll sell you to Venom, we'd get a good price for you"

"Bast-" one of the guards struck Falco on the beak before he could finish speaking.

"Shame you didn't bring your little friends with you, that Peppy's already been conditioned for us, but there's still lots of spirit to break"

Falco launched himself forward filled with rage, the guard held him away.

"I'll kill you!!" Falco screamed

"Insolent little shit, we'll soon knock that out of you" he waved his hand and one of the guards struck him on the back of the head with the butt of his gun. He fell forwards. But that was just the beginning...

Falco staggered. His fist clenched tightly around the dog-tag, even without it they would have recognised him. He put both his grandfather's and his own onto the chain and put it round his neck. He wore them for comfort, to remember all those he'd lost. If he died in the Arwing there would be no body to identify.

Falco was exhausted, he felt as though he hadn't slept properly for weeks. His body and mind were drained. He crawled into bed and wished desperately he would sleep. He felt he would do just about anything for one undisturbed night. He drifted away quicker than he was expecting...

The shuttle glided forward, Silver at the controls. Falco looked round at the nervous faces, at least, everyone except Tyson, who pretended not to be afraid. Lupus checked his gun for what felt like the hundredth time. Salty rested his hand one of the Arwing's noses. Falco sat beside Silver at the controls of the shuttle ready to lend a hand if necessary. Blaze checked the bomb components were firmly in his bag. The mood was low and nervous, the tension of the team seemed to crackle in the air.

He groaned in his sleep, rolled over and fell into a deep dark emptiness.

All too soon the darkness lifted. A blue glow filled Falco's senses.

"How many lives have you taken? You did not even always believe in the causes you were fighting for. How can you say you're any better than Andross. You are a mercenary are you not? You get paid for spilling as much blood as possible. We are peace spirits, we give life. How can you ask us to refuse to give this one a second chance? Would you not ask us to do the same for the ones you love? Would the families of the ones whose blood you shed not ask us to bring them back?"

Salty, Silver and the others flashed across his mind, their faces more vivid, intensified by the spirit's power.

"You even carry the blood of friends?"

"No, no I did what I thought was right. I tried to save them!"

"How also can we grant the request of someone who did not consider his own life sacred?"

Images flooded across Falco's mind, his own thoughts echoed around the blue expanse "_I didn't want to wake up_". His head was being held under the water again. _"Hold me under, please end this!" _

Falco landed several feet from his bed. His head making contact with the floor with a hard thud. He struggled to breathe. He rolled onto his back clutching at his throat. Finally he screamed out.

"Help me!"

But no help came. No help would. The last chance of help had gone out when they brought in Blaze's body. Falco knew that but refused to accept it. He thought of Peppy, home... Falco was aware he was in his room. He'd escaped. Trying to hold on to the lasts of his sanity he crawled back into his bed and pulled the covers over his head.

"all wings report to the bridge"

Falco sat up wondering what was going on. There were no alarms so it wasn't urgent, they weren't under attack. His clock showed that it was very early morning, he still had several hours left to pretend to sleep. Pulling on a dressing gown he was grateful.

He walked slowly to the bridge. Fox looked up when he entered.

"Morning" he said grimly and turned back to a display panel. Falco came to look over his shoulder.

"What's up?"

"Pepper called, we've got a mission"

"Where?" Peppy asked coming into the room. Falco and Fox both jumped. "Sorry" Peppy mumbled.

"Wait till Slippy gets here"

There was silence for a time. Falco felt Fox and Peppy looking at him as though expecting him to say something. It was too early in the morning for him to oblige. After a few seconds more Peppy said it for him.

"You'd better call him again Fox, Slippy'll sleep through anything" Peppy turned to Falco and nudged him in the back "This could be an interesting day. Falco's left his sarcasm in bed!" Falco tried to give him an evil look but it came out more like a yawn. Maybe he was more tired than he realised.

"Slippy, report to the bridge" Fox said again.

Falco couldn't suppress another very large yawn. He hoped he would be awake enough to avoid flying into something. He sank into a chair by Fox's side. He looked at the screen he was studying briefly. He noted a busy streetscape before his eyes closed again.

Fox and Peppy looked grimly at the screen. There were lots of buildings packed tightly together. Lots of cover for enemy targets.

"We'll have to watch where we're shooting" Peppy said

"Yeah, should be ok though"

Falco stood in the middle of a city, in a body not his own. He watched himself fly his Arwing over the tops of the buildings. Something red fell from the ship. Then all the world exploded.

Slippy entered the room. Fox looked to Peppy.

"Wake him" Fox said

Peppy shook Falco's arm. Falco opened his eyes. Peppy was shocked by the terror on his face. Again the mask dropped and his face went back to a normal grin.

"Sorry, must've dropped off. This is far to early for me"

"I agree" Slippy said yawning "What's up Fox"

Fox flicked the controls so the main display showed the street map and began his briefing.

"This is Saxoni, a medium sized city in the southern hemisphere of Butani. The city is centralised around this Federation military base. Early this morning local time a group of rebels stormed the base and captured certain parts of it. Suffice to say they made off with several tanks, antiaircraft guns and armoured vehicles. They took what they stole into the city. So far they haven't fired on any civilian buildings but it's only a matter of time. The government is in talks with the leader. So far no hostages in the base have been harmed. That however is not our concern. The planet has very limited air support. The nearest units cannot be brought in for several hours. Our job is to clear up the captured vehicles, before they can be removed or used for other means. We clear the way for allied commandos who will recapture the base." Fox paused "Any questions"

"How many targets we looking at?" Peppy asked.

"About 9 tanks with antiaircraft capabilities, and 13 scud launchers. The armoured vehicles are mostly heavy munitions trucks so you can leave them to the ground troops. They would like to get them back if possible." Fox smiled.

"Walk in the park then?" Slippy asked.

"Exactly" Fox said

"Yeah that's much the problem, one wrong move and you hit one of the buildings" Falco said looking at the street map and the position of the tanks. The team stared at him. After a long pause Fox spoke up.

"Don't worry, it's only like when we flew through Corneria and countless other places. Easy peasy, as long as you don't get trigger-happy. Any other questions?"

Each shook their heads in turn.

"Right then, we arrive in 30 minutes. Everyone in the docking bay in 20."

They all went back to their rooms. Falco couldn't get rid of the uneasy felling in the bottom of his stomach. This would be his first combat flight for a long time, since... He wished the circumstances were different as he pulled on his traditional flight gear.

Fox was leaning against his Arwing when Falco entered the docking bay. He nodded in greeting as Falco went over to his Arwing. He ran his eyes over it briefly, checking it for any obvious damage. Nothing serious. In the battle with Andross he'd been mostly unscathed. It needed some new armour in places and a wash but nothing that would stop it flying. Falco couldn't check the modified parts with Fox in the bay. He'd have to trust Salty's work. He wouldn't need them anyway. He glanced at Fox's ship. Someone or the repair bots had fixed it since the battle. All the Arwings looked good, shiny. Falco's looked a little different to the rest; the modifications changing its appearance in places.

"You know it won't fly itself, no matter how hard you look at it" Fox said coming over. "Or if it can that'll be one hell of an autopilot!"

Falco grinned at him "nope you're still stuck with plain old me"

"Shame" Fox said jokingly, shaking his head "What did you do to it?"

"A friend of mine updated it a bit"... _"A friend I lost"_ Falco thought sadly

"With what?"

"Stronger shields, cannons... and a few other tricks" Falco managed to grin

Fox turned to him and was about to speak when Peppy and Slippy appeared.

"Ready you two?" he asked

"yup" Slippy said, Peppy just nodded.

"We should come into orbit of the planet in a few minutes. Slippy do the pre-flight checks"

He nodded and tottered off to check each Arwing over in turn. As he ran his hand along Fox's ship's hull a mechanical voice spoke

"Great Fox is now in orbit around Butani"

"Right guys lets go!" Fox shouted moving towards his ship. Falco climbed the side and sank into the familiar cockpit. His hands moved without thinking over the controls, it was just one more mission, just like all the ones before he told himself. The cockpit closed. The engine roared into life and lifted off the deck. Fox and Peppy boosted away Falco followed and then Slippy came out last, they'd done it a million times...

"So why am I so scared?" Falco asked himself.

The team moved into their usual positions. Peppy had to think twice about his position in the formation. He'd been flying in Falco's place for the last few missions. Flight missions seemed to have lost their appeal over the last months. Falco had been their best pilot, and even Fox knew it. Dinosaur Planet had been well timed...

"All wings report" Fox began the usual routine.

"Peppy standing by"

"Slippy ready"

Falco had always been third, third in command. He sighed sadly and answered last.

"Lets get this over and done with Fox"

"Star Fox team move out!" Fox hadn't been able to say that without a heavy heart for a long time. The four of them dove towards the planet...

The tank was sat in the middle of civilian territory, Falco had a lock but he couldn't bring himself to squeeze the trigger. What if he missed? His Arwing shot over the target.

"What's up Falco?" Peppy asked as he destroyed his target.

"Couldn't get a lock" Falco lied.

"Go round and try again" Fox ordered. Falco turned the Arwing back towards the tank, barrel rolling to deflect the anti-aircraft fire. It stopped suddenly as Slippy fired. The sick feeling in his heart was there again, chewing away at his soul. He turned round one of the skyscrapers coming in for a second approach. The tank was just sat there, vulnerable, easy, he'd hit more difficult targets before even without the computer. He had a lock, the computer clicked down the range. He was aware Fox was trailing his attack run. He had to fire; he went to pull the trigger... Salty's bloodied face flashed across his mind. His fingers wouldn't move. He shot over the target again. He heard Fox drop one of his bombs on it, cleanly. Falco was suddenly sure he was going to be sick.

"What the hell was that Falco?!!" Fox asked angrily

"Mechanical failure bomb wouldn't release, I'm gunna have to back out!" Falco said without thinking. He cut the comm. and fled for Great Fox.

"Regroup and prepare for the strike on the central base" Fox said as he watched Falco's ship speed up away from the planet's surface. They moved into formation, Peppy moving forward again to Falco's spot on his left wing. They sped onwards towards the base. The fight was easy, a few well aimed shots and all the enemy occupied vehicles were destroyed, then they only had to provide air cover while the commando's recaptured the base.

Falco only just made it to the docking bay bathroom. He was sick, sick like he'd been before, only this time there was no blood. The pain was just as bad though, like knives being driven through his soul.

Salty laughed keenly as Falco tried his best with the complicated systems. He turned his smoke covered face to scowl good-heartedly at him. He reached forward and showed him the correct way to do it... just like Slippy. There was a flash and Falco was staring at his broken body laid out on the dirty floor, they hadn't even spared him. Falco wanted to hold him but his hands were tied and the guard held him up on his painful feet.

Falco sat leaning against the wall. He wondered if it would ever go away, if he would ever be able to sleep without seeing his face covered in blood. He knew where the team kept the cyanide pills... Then he heard the docking bay doors rumble open. He staggered slowly out of the bathroom to his ship; he had to look as though he was fixing something. He tossed his vomit splattered jacket behind a box of supplies as Fox's Arwing broke the atmospheric barrier. Hiding sickness and injury had become second nature recently. He grabbed one of Slippy's tools and crawled under the ship. He lay on the cool floor listening to all three ships dock. Then he heard footsteps coming towards him.

"Falco" Fox said sternly. Falco crawled out from under the ship. "Check the systems Slippy" Fox ordered.

"I'll fix it" Falco said frightened

"No, I want Slippy to do it"

"But-"

"Slippy's the mechanic. You come with me" Fox said sternly before walking off with Peppy. Falco paused to speak to Slippy.

"Don't touch any of the new systems"

"Move it Falco!" Fox shouted. He dropped his head and trotted after him. Slippy watched him go; he had a feeling he wasn't going to find anything wrong with the ship.

Fox led Falco into one of the side rooms off the docking bay.

"Sit" Fox said. Falco did so willingly, his legs feeling weak. Peppy stood quietly in one corner watching him intently.

"Tell me again why you backed out"

"Mechanical failure"

"Of the bomb release?"

"Yes"

"And you thought that that alone meant you had to back out?"

"Yes"

"You could have provided air cover and done laser runs" Fox said. Falco shrugged, lasers were even less accurate.

"Answer me when I speak to you"

"Yes _sir_" Falco said slowly.

"Damn it Falco your attitude is really starting to piss me off!" Falco looked up but said nothing. "You had no right to back out!" Falco again shrugged. "And your little outburst with General Pepper was far from appropriate"

"You have no idea" Falco said bitterly.

"Oh really?" Falco just stared at him, almost as though he didn't see him. "Answer me damn it!" Falco shook his head. Peppy remembered suddenly something he'd been told to watch out for in fighter pilots and army commandos. He pushed the thought away. It couldn't be surely... Fox and Falco starred at one another for a while until Slippy broke in.

"Err-Fox I couldn't find anything wrong with any of Falco's systems..." Fox turned on Falco, who flinched away a little.

"Explain that?"

"I can't" Falco said sadly. Fox's face contorted with anger.

"I am relieving you of active duty, until your attitude improves and until you can give me an adequate reason as to why you pulled out _and_ why you lied to me." Fox said forcefully. Falco looked down. He was relieved, he sighed deeply. Fox walked out of the room. Slippy had evidently been listening to the conversation.

"Sorry Falco" he said quietly and cut the comm.

"Falco why did you do that?" Peppy asked gently coming to his side. Falco sighed.

"It was that or make a very large mess in my ship" Peppy frowned at him.

"If it was a medical emergency why didn't you say so?" Falco shrugged and put his head down on his arms on the table in front of him.

"I still could have fired the bomb..."

"So why didn't you?"

Falco's face contorted in pain, he buried it in his arms "I lost my nerve. I couldn't bring myself to fire that bomb in civilian territory... in case I missed. I don't want more innocent lives accounted to my name"

"What do you mean?" Falco didn't answer, Peppy decided to continue with what he understood "you wouldn't have missed, the computer almost never misses"

"But what if it had?" Peppy didn't have an answer for that. "I was going to ask you to relieve me of duty anyway; I'm more of a liability than anything else right now..."

Peppy put a gentle hand on his shoulder "why?"

"I..." he couldn't answer. Slowly he got to his feet and walked to his room; though Peppy stayed close by his side all the way he said nothing. Peppy didn't want to leave Falco but he didn't want to pry either. Falco went into his room alone.

Peppy walked off down the corridor nervously, if anything Falco had been a little overconfident before, now... Peppy wondered what he had meant by "other lives" he wished he knew what had happened to Falco. An idea played around in his mind, but he refused to believe it, it was to horrific to even comprehend.

Peppy walked into the common room. Fox was sat at the table with his head in his hands. He looked round when Peppy approached. He frowned at him.

"You ok?" Fox asked. Peppy sat down without answering. Falco's words went round and round in his mind

"Peppy? You ok?" Fox asked again. Peppy looked up.

"Yes" he sighed. Fox turned back to stare at the table.

"Did I do the right thing?"

"Yes"

Fox seemed relieved by Peppy's answer.

"I haven't had a real conversation with him since he came back" Fox said sadly

"The only times I've spoken to him he's left me more confused and worried than anything"

"Why?"

"After you left he told me he lost his nerve-"

"Falco, no way!"

"Yes, he said he didn't want anymore innocent lives accounted to his name..."

"What does that mean?"

"No idea... and I think when he finished in the simulator last night he was crying."

"Crying... why?"

"I don't know. I think today was more of a medical thing than mechanical. He told me he was going to be sick... which I can believe"

"...Peppy have you seen his arms?"

Peppy looked up

"The scars?"

"Yeah. Peppy I've been beating SharpClaw up for the last two weeks and I don't look like that... the marks, they're too regular to be accidental... You don't think he could have been doing it to himself?"

"I don't know..." Peppy ignored the voice in the back of his mind growing more urgent and insistent, the faint sound of screaming, the scars on his own arms, he would almost rather Falco was self-harming than that. Anything but that...

"I don't like him like this... Has he told you anything about what happened while he was away?" Fox asked

"No"

"Do you think something happened...?"

"Something must have... there's no way he just floated around in a single Arwing for six weeks"

"Something bad I mean..."

"I hope not but every time I try to find out what happened I just seem to make things worse."

"Do you think he would talk to me?"

"I doubt it"

Fox shrugged "Show willing... What do you think will happen when General Pepper gets his hands on him?"

"Formal reprimand, or something"

"Why do you think he reacted like that?"

"I dread to think..."

Then each faded to silence and their own thoughts.

When Falco hadn't reappeared from his room by the late evening Peppy started to get worried. He understood him not wanting to see Fox but still, he hadn't come out for lunch or anything else. Peppy couldn't stand it anymore, the tension onboard was starting to get to him, he couldn't forget what had happened the last time Fox and Falco had fought, he'd been keeping an eye on the docking bay. Finally he found himself knocking on his door.

"Yes?" A small voice answered.

"Can I come in?"

"Hang on." Falco pushed the picture into the back of his photo album. "Alright"

Peppy opened the door and walked inside. Falco looked awful, sat in almost complete darkness.

"Lights..." Peppy mumbled. Falco blinked hard a couple of times. "Don't you want some tea?" Peppy asked

"I'm not hungry" He said in that same small voice. Peppy came closer.

"How come?"

"I'm just not... I still don't feel well after this morning"

"Oh alrigh-" Peppy's wandering eyes spotted something "Falco why have you got a gun by your bed?!" Falco turned and picked up the black weapon. He eyed it forlornly then tossed it into the corner of the room. Peppy ducked.

"Happy now?"

Peppy was again left speechless. "What's wrong Falco?" Peppy asked "We're all worried about you."

His eyes glazed over for a moment then he looked up and smiled.

"I don't mean to worry you, honest"

"If you told us what was wrong, we could help, then we wouldn't have to worry"

"Unless you have a time machine there isn't much you can do"

"not got one of those, just a listening ear and friendly advise. That's always worked before" Peppy touched one of his ears as he sat by his side "Bunny ears were always good for listening"

Falco smiled fleetingly.

"Its been a very long few months. It feels like an eternity's gone by since I left here"

"Six weeks is a long time to be on your own..."

"I wasn't alone, that's much the problem"

"Girl troubles?" Peppy asked hopefully.

"I wish" Falco scoffed.

"Did you fall in with the wrong sort of crowd then?"

"Depends who you consider the wrong crowd to be" Falco said touching the place on his chest where the two sets of dog-tags rested. Both marked with the emblem of the Cornerian Army...

"Well..." Peppy started trying to find something to say that wouldn't offend Falco. He'd run with what many would consider to be the wrong crowds before. They had been the only thing that had kept him alive.

"Sorry about before Peppy... the other day..."

Peppy smiled and hugged him briefly "That's ok, no harm done" Falco looked up.

"You know that was the first thing you ever said to me... When we met. After I was sat in your Arwing, and you shouted at me to get out."

"I remember..."

"That seems like so long ago, the four of us have been through so much since then"

"yes..." Peppy said grinning.

"Zoness was always the worst... the smell...ugh. The ships brought it in... the docking bay stank for weeks"

"And we had to repaint the Arwings."

"I know, took me forever to get mine right again. Do you know that stuff dissolved the tips of the wings and I had to have a new canopy fitted"

"Well you did take a bit of a dunking"

"Yeah, Slippy was pissed"

Peppy decided to let that one go "Poor thing, having to fix the ships after that"

Falco smiled and nodded "he had to wear one of those contamination suits didn't he?"

"Yeah, a least until the Arwings had had several washes and the bay atmosphere was purged"

"Good job they paid us well" Falco had meant to sound sarcastic, but when he spoke it sounded more bitter than anything else. Peppy remained silent for a long while. Then finally he decided he wasn't going to get anything more out of Falco.

"Goodnight Falco, sweet dreams" Falco remained staring at the floor.

"And you Peppy" he finally managed to say. Peppy walked towards the door, but paused to pick up Falco's gun before leaving the room, taking it with him.

Peppy thoughtfully wandered the corridors, fumbling with Falco's gun as he walked. He had never allowed them to carry side arms onboard Great Fox. They had no reason to, the only ones who could get onboard were team members, and they could trust one another surely. He tried to convince himself that Falco had simply forgotten to take it off after the mission that morning, but Falco had never been careless. Peppy couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more sinister going on.

Falco settled for another restless night, he'd almost stopped feeling tired, even that took too much effort. He didn't expect to sleep, but he had nothing better to do than try. It was almost as though the nightly ritual of trying to sleep was more force of habit than anything else.

Falco's Arwing glided along quietly. He could hear his own voice but wasn't aware he was talking.

"This isn't over yet. I never finished what I was sent to do. I failed my mission and thousands could die because of that. I made a huge mess of things. The pain will never go away... I wont live long enough to forget."

The noise of explosions shattered the silence and rattled the Arwing. The massive square bulk of a ship pulled over the top of Falco, bombarding him with fire. Alarms started to scream, a fireball welled up from the nose but never hit.

Falco yelped. He was laid on the floor his wrist bent under him. He struggled to move. He tested it carefully, he hadn't broken it again. Falco considered giving up on sleeping, but as he sat on the floor his head started to droop.

"What you doing down there Fal-" Falco jumped, the shock on his face surprised Slippy "Were you asleep?" he asked

"ugh... I don't know... Slippy what time is it?" Falco asked groggily.

"Early." Slippy approached and helped Falco to his feet "Fox and Peppy said not to tell you, but we've got another mission"

"So what Slip, you know I'm not coming"

"We're moving to meet the Fleet now..."

"The Fleet?!" Falco asked snapping awake, the terror of past battles resurfacing, some of them battles never fought.

"Yes... we haven't got much information yet. Pepper is going to give us the details in about half an hour..."

Slippy watched as Falco began to move around the room quickly, he started to pull on a top.

"Falco your back!" Slippy cried suddenly.

Falco looked over his shoulder "You should probably ignore that" he said, hastily pulling the shirt on over his head.

"But... what happened?" He asked anxiously

"Nothing"

"Yeah right. Falco this has gone too far now, I'm telling Peppy!"

Falco turned to face him, towering head and shoulders above "No, you're not" Again he seemed to catch up with himself and check himself, sighing he spoke "At least wait until after the mission..."

"Thought you weren't coming"

Falco pulled the long sleeves of the shirt down his arms "If the fleet's been called in something big must be going down. I can't afford _not_ to be out there"

"Do you think Fox will agree?"

"Frankly I don't care-Slippy do you mind" Slippy turned round while Falco changed his trousers.

"Fox wont be very happy if you just decide to fly today"

"I'm not letting any of you go out there into some mass battle without me to watch your backs"

Slippy was startled. Falco's words lacked the overconfidence he usually associated with such comments. It was almost as though he was afraid.

"You're not leaving me here to bang my head against the wall while you face heaven knows what- You three aren't leaving me here alone if you get blown to bits. Come on." Falco moved towards the door, Slippy followed trying to make sense of his words.

Fox and Peppy looked up gravely when they entered the room.

"Where do you think your going?" Fox asked irritably

"I'm coming with you"

"I relieved you of duty, so far you haven't given me any reason to change that."

Falco dropped his head and sighed deeply "I lost my nerve ok... civilian casualties... out here... no civilians. And I'm sorry for what I said to General Pepper. It wont happen again"

"Falco I-"

Falco's head snapped up to look Fox in the eye "If you don't let me fly at your wing Fox, I'll fly as a lone wolf at the back of the fleet. I'm not staying here to watch you three get blown to pieces. But if its what you want it, after the attack is over I wont come back here"

"I never said that" Fox said sadly. He looked over Falco's shoulder at Peppy who shrugged.

"Alright Falco, but no more stupid stunts"

Falco nodded grimly. The daggers tickling at his heart, the thought of loosing one of _them_...

Pepper hailed them.

"Star Fox team... The fleet will rendezvous with your position in a moment, you are flying with 100 fighters drawn from various units in the army. Fox you're in charge, the fleet will report to you. Standard squad formations will be set up under you. I'm afraid we don't have much information. Scans have picked up a lot of unusual signals and activity in this area for the last couple of days, communications received no response, which has led us to believe they may be hostile. We're sending you and the fleet to check it out. Be aware Fox, there could be an enemy base in there somewhere, we aren't sure what you're going up against. Squadron leaders are being briefed simultaneously. Good luck and take care Star Fox."

"Right General" Fox said in his usual optimistic tone. Falco and the General made eye contact for a moment, Falco looked at him sadly. Then turned away.

"Watch yourselves out there" Pepper said. Falco paused, then walked away.

The team boarded their Arwings as the firsts of the fleet began to surround Great Fox. The Star Fox team moved into their standard diamond formation as the numbers of other vessels increased around them.

"all wings report in" Fox said

"All systems go" Peppy said

"Slippy here, ready for action"

"Falco standing by" Last to answer again.

"Green group, ready and accounted for" A new voice said

"Red leader here, we're ready"

"Blue group standing by"

"Sigma squadron go!" An all too eager young voice said.

"Fleet accounted for, lets move out" Fox said accelerating away from Great Fox followed by wing after wing of fighters. Flying with the fleet had always made Falco nervous...

"_In combat you always follow you're leader, you do what they say, even if they're wrong"_

The fleet flew on in their standard formations, squads spread out widely in v shapes. Fox was beginning to think they were on a wild goose chase when his scanners picked something up. All the team's scanners started to bleep at once. Then they saw a dark mass blocking out the stars. Falco felt as though a cannon ball had hit him in the chest. The lasts of his sanity and security seemed to crumble around him. That particular black bulk was familiar...

"Oh crap... it's the Behemoth! No...No Fox tell the fleet to withdraw!"

"What? Falco what's the matter?"

"Retreat! Retreat! Tell them to back off before they die!" Falco's voice sounded hysterical.

"What? Falco don't be stupid."

"Fox listen to me; you're leading them to their deaths. Please Fox for once in your life listen to me! Just this once, please!" Falco pleaded

"Shut the fuck up Falco, that's an order!"

Despite his better judgment Falco remained at Fox's side. Inside he began to scream again. His fear increased to blind terror at the ship's dark bulk grew closer and closer. It was happening again. Only this time he knew how impossible the odds really were. The fleet were on a suicide mission, with Star Fox at the lead. The Federation had sold them out... Again.

The Behemoth opened its bay doors and the armada of vessels poured out. Falco heard Fox swear quietly over the radio.

"Engage targets, repeat engage targets"

The fleet broke and engaged the ships. Vessels attempted to strike the Behemoth but were cut down in their droves. Fox watched the fleet status monitor. They were dropping fast. Within 30 seconds 100 fighters were 80. Slippy's shields were draining as were the rest's, the only one who's seemed to hold were Falco's, sticking close to Peppy's wing.

Falco found that if he stuck close to Peppy he could keep his emotions in check, barely. Peppy was too busy fighting to ask. Falco worked to shield him, if he had a purpose he could keep going. Finally Slippy spoke.

"I'm coming close to the threshold Fox" Falco looked down at the team status readout. Slippy's damage was nearly in the red. Fox was nearly there too and Peppy was halfway through the yellow. Falco peeled off to find Slippy. As he crossed through the swarms of enemy ships and flew under the Behemoths shadow the memories started to come back. He reached Slippy only just in time, they threatened to overwhelm him. Falco began shadowing Slippy as he had for Peppy and thankfully the memories subsided.

The fleet was down to 52. Fox had to make a decision. He hated running from a fight but they were outnumbered and outgunned.

"Retreat all vessels retreat."

The fleet didn't take long to start to respond. They turned tail and started to back off. Then the Behemoth truly showed its power. It started firing its big guns, destroying the fighters with one shot. They were being massacred. Someone needed to distract the Behemoth and Falco knew he was the only one who could.

Falco's Arwing faded, and disappeared.

"What the?... Falco where are you?"

"Fox get the fleet the hell out of here. Return to fall back positions!"

Seconds later a row of bombs detonated in front to the massive ship's bow.

"Now Fox! Don't hang around to think about it! Its too late for that now. Get your furry tail our of here!"

The vessel, shaken, fired aimlessly as though searching for a target, its guns ignoring the fleeing fleet.

"Retreat, all craft retreat" Fox cried. The lasts of the fleet fled as fast as their ships could go.

Falco watched the team get further and further away. He drove his ship back along the Behemoth's bow dropping the lasts of his bombs. He couldn't believe he was back, doing this, again. The cloak was holding. One of the lasers caught him, without shields it took the tip of his wing clean off.

"Shit time to get out of here!" he told himself. The cloak started to fail. The severed metal of his wing glided away from the ship and became visible. The guns locked on and destroyed it. A voice came over the radio

"I'm not finished with you yet Lombardi!" It screamed. Blind terror took him with the sound of _that_ voice. He pushed down the thrust and closed his eyes.

Fox glided by Great Fox along with the puny remainders of the fleet. The team were more shocked than anything else, finally their leader spoke up.

"... I don't know what was more scary... that thing... or that Falco was right" He tried to lighten he mood.

"Don't even joke Fox" Peppy said his voice barely more than a whisper "Falco's not coming back this time" He switched off his comm.

Fox starred silently at the stars and whispered the words spoken at his father's funeral. "'A shining stars gone out... my friend stopped flying today'... So long buddy."

Falco came within sight of the fleet, the cloak still on. He grew angry when he saw them. He used the radio to talk to all of them.

"What are you lot all doing together? Do you wanna be sitting ducks? The Behemoth will eat you alive! It'll cut you to pieces! Split up, go home to your bases!"

There were frightened mumbles over the radio. Then the fleet dispersed quickly. "Idiots the lot of them" Falco mumbled over the comm. as he dropped the cloak.

"Falco you're alive!" Came Slippy's voice

"Well what did you think I was, a ghost?" He asked flying past them and straight into Great Fox's docking bay.

Fox and Peppy couldn't believe it.

When he docked he shouted at the repair bots.

"Fix that wing" the rest he mumbled "I want to be the hell out of here as soon as possible." He went quickly to his room, trembling.

He shoved things in the bag, his most treasured possessions, photos, his diary with six weeks missing from it, a spare jacket. He couldn't bear to look round his room, this time it really would be the last time he saw it. He walked quickly to the armoury.

Falco put another gun in the top of the bag. He added as many clips as he could fit. Then a few grenades and plastic explosives, just to be sure. He paused when he heard footsteps behind him. Peppy's.

"Peppy, tell Fox it was never anything personal, and tell the CloudRunner, thanks" Falco said without turning round. He shouldered the heavy bag.

"The CloudRunner..." He paused and followed Falco with his eyes "Falco where are you going?"

"I'm leaving Peppy." He turned to face him, pain in his eyes "I asked Fox to do something... and he refused. Lots of people died today, that many didn't have to. I came back because I thought you were my friends. I can't stay with a team that doesn't trust me. Goodbye Peppy."

Falco went to go out the door. Peppy felt as though his heart would break.

"I can't let you leave with that much weaponry..."

Fox spoke to General Pepper.

"Is Falco on Great Fox?"

"Huh? Yes..." Fox struggled to understand why the general had asked that, of all things.

"Whatever happens Fox don't let him leave"

"Why would he want to do that-"

"Full security lock down, armoury!" Peppy's voice came over the comm. Fox looked up.

"Gotta go General"

"You shouldn't have done that" Falco said sadly. He knelt by the sealed door. He pulled a knife from his bag "now we have to do this the hard way" he unscrewed the panel and took it off. Peppy watched his team mate, the boy he'd raised. The boy he thought he understood. He thought he'd lost him, when he came back he thought he'd found him again, now he wasn't so sure.

"What's going on Falcs?" He persisted

He didn't answer. Falco put his hand into the panel and groped about for something. He pulled out a string of wires and fingered through them until he found the right one. He cut it and the door opened.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Peppy asked. Again he didn't answer. When Falco stood up he was alarmed and dismayed to see Fox and Slippy blocking his way. Both holding guns at the ready.

"What's the matter Peppy?" Fox asked

"Who opened the door?" Slippy asked.

Falco went to run.

"Stop him!" Peppy shouted. Falco felt him point the gun at him. He froze. "Drop the bag" He did so. This was no different to before. It didn't matter who held the gun, as long as it was pointed at him.

"What's going on?" Fox asked, confused as always.

"Back in here Falco" Peppy ordered, the voice that had wished him sweet dreams. He raised his hands and walked back into the armoury. His head low. He had always thought he would be safe, if he got back to them. Peppy took the gun from Falco's hip and put both down and signalled for Fox and Slippy to do the same.

"Right, now that's over, what's wrong? Fox not listening to you is no reason to run off... again"

"Falco how did you know?" Fox asked.

"I-" Falco trembled

"What are you so afraid of? What is it about that ship that scares you so much?" Peppy asked, afraid he was entering dangerous territory.

"Why did General Pepper tell me not to let you leave?" Fox asked

Slippy remained ominously silent.

Falco crumbled. He couldn't fight anymore; he'd been fighting for too long. He relinquished, it was a relief.

"I - I've been inside that monster..." Falco sighed. The team stared at him. Peppy watched him sway and saw the look in his eyes. Terribly familiar... It all made brutal sense. He couldn't deny it anymore. Peppy was filled with rage. It disappeared as he moved forward. He barely caught Falco as he crumbled to the ground. "Though I lost my squad mates and was captured for it" Peppy holding him in his arms could feel him shaking, the rage returned.

"We'll get the bastards who did this to you. I promise" He growled, anger filling his soul.

Fox stared confused. Peppy seemed to know something he didn't. Falco seemed to have something major wrong with him, something only Peppy understood. He was crying now, crying like he had never seen him cry before. He dropped something. Fox got to his knees in front of them and picked it up. Falco's wings, the red brooch insignia of the winged fox. He stared at it. Peppy was saying something gently into Falco's ear and rocking him slowly, he was crying to. It sounded like a lullaby he was singing. Fox felt sick, he didn't understand, but he had a feeling he was beginning to. Peppy looked up and made eye contact with Fox. His expression sent a wave of cold fear through him. Peppy's usually calm eyes were filled with rage.

"Help me" he said flatly.

Between them they took Falco back to his room. As they walked painfully slowly as Falco seemed barely able to stand he heard him mumbling to himself

"Don't send me back...."

Once they arrived at his room Peppy turned to Slippy and Fox.

"Leave us. Fox talk to the General, see what you can find out. Then talk to the CloudRunner"

"The CloudRunner?"

"Yes, it seems Falco's been a busy boy"

Peppy took him inside. Fox turned to Slippy looking confused.

"The CloudRunner?"

"He he..." Slippy laughed nervously and looked away sheepishly.

"Slippy. Do you know something I don't?"

"Uh..."

Peppy sat Falco on the side of his bed and knelt in front of him. He had made sure the lights were on nearly to their maximum. He took Falco's hands in his.

"I don't know exactly what they did to you, or why, but you have to be strong. Find something you believe in and hold onto it, don't let go of that, don't allow yourself to get lost, or even I wont be able to bring you back"

"Peppy they...they..." Falco trailed off shaking

"I know... you must hold on to whatever it was that gave you the strength to survive, the courage to get away. You have to tell me what happened. When I was sat where you are now the best thing I did was telling my friends, it took me a long time to find the courage, but once I did things started to get better..."

"Slippy tell me what you know!" Fox shouted helplessly

"But I swore to secrecy, Falco will kill me if I- oops"

"Falco's not fit to kill anything right now" Fox sighed "If you want to help him you have to tell me what you know. What connects him and the CloudRunner?"

"...

Slippy turned to the bleeping on the radar. It looked almost as though a ship was entering the planet's atmosphere, but when he scanned there was no ship. Slippy was intrigued. Fox was hung up in the Volcano Force Point temple and wouldn't be coming back for a while so he felt it was safe to move Great Fox to investigate.

Falco had been monitoring Great Fox's movements. As he had anticipated Slippy had spotted him. He pushed the ship into the landing bay. A CloudRunner sat listening to the noise of the Arwing and tried to look in the right direction.

"Falco to CloudRunner, I'm here"

"Right Falco. Bring in your ship in to dock"

He had to get this timed right; he had to talk to Slippy before he spotted him. As soon as he dropped the cloak he would be discovered. Great Fox would be in range by now of the biosensors. Simultaneously he dropped the cloak and sent a message to Great Fox.

All the sensors started bleeping at once. Slippy logged an Arwing, one of theirs, highly modified, an Avion bio signature that could only belong to one person and an incoming message.

"Slippy. I know you can hear me. Respond"

"Falco??!! Where've you been hiding? We were beginning to give up on you!"

The sound of his voice, familiar... comforting, Falco wanted to go home, not be here. He sighed "Nice to know you have so much faith in me. Its good to hear your voice Slip'"

"Are you coming aboard, are you going to help Fox, is that why you're on the planet?"

"No. I'm not coming aboard Slippy"

"Why not? Peppy misses you, so do I and Fox won't admit he does. Wait and I'll call them; you can talk to them too-"

"No! Slippy you can't tell them I'm here!"

"Why?"

"That doesn't matter. I just don't want them to know. You have to keep my secret Slippy. Once I'm finished I'll be gone and they never have to know I was here."

"But...but Peppy he's-"

"Please Slippy promise me. It's really important that no-one finds out I'm here"

"Why?"

"It just is!"

"Alright Falco, I promise. But I'm going to be watching you, if you get into trouble I'm gunna tell them."

"Trouble's what I'm here for Slip' don't tell them. No-matter what happens"

"But... what if... what are you doing down there?"

"Sorting out one of the CloudRunner's... Little problems..."

Slippy looked up.

"I didn't find out much more than that. From what I gathered he spent some time in their fortress and then left just before you arrived. A CloudRunner flew him up a tower on one of the mountains and left him there. From his bio readings I guessed he entered some sort of fight but the readings were all screwed up, at one point there were so many life forces I couldn't pick his out, another time he seemed to be being attacked in an otherwise empty room..."

"You let all this happen and you didn't tell me? I outrank him. You kept this secret?"

"Yes. You didn't ask and Falco seemed to be getting on alright on his own, the few times I spoke to him. He asked for some new blaster armour and some plastic explosives, among other things. I made excuses and airdropped them to him. I'm sorry Fox. I couldn't say no. He used the explosives to blow up the tower once he was finished in it. A CloudRunner brought him back to the fortress. You were long gone by then. He stayed there for a while. Next time I picked him up he was in Krazoa Palace... you passed within a few feet of him at one point. I had hoped that he would reveal himself to you, but obviously he didn't. He stayed there for ages. He seemed to be doing something to Krystal... her life signs got stronger for a while and the spirits started to dispel... then it seemed to go wrong. Her bio signature got weak again and the Krazoa returned. Then Falco's heart stopped."

Fox stared. Slippy continued. "I'm not really sure what happened. I was about to call Peppy and go down to him when it started again."

Falco woke up. The cold rain pored down onto his face. He was wet all over. He turned his head to look up at the Krazoa. They still circled Krystal, but she was alive at least. He hoped he had bought her the time she needed. The Krazoa hadn't believed his story about Andross. The pain was not his own so it was less vivid, the Krazoa didn't understand. Still they had agreed to keep Krystal alive until they were reunited; it was not just her fate that hung in the balance anymore. The fate of the Federation, Fox and Falco himself now hung with them. Falco blinked and rolled over onto his back at the bleeping on his arm.

"Falco what the hell just happened... you were dead!" Slippy's concerned voice chattered over the comm.

"Really? I was dead?" Falco asked intrigued.

"Well, your heart stopped"

"Cool!" Falco answered trying to sound casual. It wouldn't be the first time. He shivered in the rain. Krystal shivered too. Falco watched her. The Krazoa it seemed were worth their word. Now he just had to concentrate on staying alive until she was released, if he perished they would die together.

"Falco... What did you do? Krystal... her heart... it's beating with yours"

"Shit Slippy you're too clever for your own good!"

"At that point he cut me off. He fled from the palace assisted by a CloudRunner. He hung low then; the only contact I got from him was when he wanted reports on how you were doing. He just told me to tell you to hurry up... As you took longer and longer he got more urgent his and Krystal's signals started to get weaker. Then finally you got the last spirit and Krystal was released. Then their bio signals separated and as you know Andross was revived and you flew after him. I think he must have been watching the battle. He just appeared on my sensors as he flew in to drop a bomb on Andross' fat head. You know how it went from there. Between you, you defeated Andross and Dinosaur Planet got back together." Slippy paused "Falco had always maintained that he would leave after whatever he had been doing was finished. I suppose he lost his nerve... either that or its not finished yet"

Fox looked thoughtful. "I had a feeling all the time there was someone helping me. The lock on my prison cell was fried. I only had to kick it to get out... Then in CloudRunner fortress and Krazoa palace... there were lots of times when I got the impression someone had beaten me to it. Most of the SharpClaw had been disbanded, and I'm sure I saw bodies I wasn't responsible for. Hell I think I even heard him swearing in Krazoa palace. I just assumed it was luck and my imagination... Oh Slippy why didn't you tell me?"

"I think Falco had his reasons not to want to be found... What did the General say to you?"

"Oh man... if he was on the Behemoth... do you think the Federation are looking for him?"

"You said yourself Pepper looked like he'd seen a ghost when he saw Falco... Falco didn't look too pleased about being noticed either..."

"Falco's right, you are too clever for your own good"

"It was obvious there was something more between them last time they spoke"

"Come on lets talk to the General. Find out what we can... and Slippy let me do the talking..."

"Ok Fox"

General Pepper answered the message almost immediately.

"Fox how dare you cut me off?"

"Sorry General, we had a _small, blue_ crisis to deal with"

"I'd say we have a fairly major crisis going on Fox"

"Yeah I'd say that too" Fox said angrily.

"Is Falco still with you?" Fox eyed Slippy briefly

"Yes"

"Bring him and his ship to Corneria immediately"

"I'm not sure how willing he will be to do that sir"

"We are at _war_ Fox, what _he_ wants is not important"

"...Why do you want him?"

"That's none of your business Fox, just bring him in"

Fox slammed his hand down on the desk making Slippy jump.

"Falco is a member of _my_ team, that makes it _my_ business!"

"Falco is wanted by Federation Command, as our allies it is your duty to bring him in"

"If I'm an ally tell me why you want him."

"That information is classified"

"Bullshit-shall I ask him his side of the story?"

Pepper's expression was unreadable.

"I'm coming out to you Fox. You'd better be on your way here when I meet you"

The comm. cut off suddenly.

"Argh!!" Fox growled in frustration.

"What do we do now?" Slippy asked

"I don't know" Fox sighed "put in a heading for Corneria I suppose"

Fox was drawn back to the armoury as he and Slippy wandered the ship. Falco's bag still sat on the floor just outside the entrance. Four guns sat on the table in the room. Everything was exactly how they had left it. Looking around the room Fox felt as though it had all been some horrible nightmare, but now he knew it wasn't one he was going to wake up from. Fox picked up Falco's bag. Slippy bent down beside the door.

"Someone knew what they were doing" he said as Fox walked past.

"Huh?" Fox asked putting the bag on the table.

"He cut straight through the emergency release mechanism..." Slippy stood up thoughtfully and came to Fox's side "Nice trick. I didn't teach him that"

Fox opened the bag.

"Whoa! Anyone would think he was going to fight a war all by himself!"

"Maybe he was" Slippy said quietly. Fox looked back at him but said nothing. He started to put the things back on the shelves where they belonged. Once several guns had been removed Fox got down to Falco's personal belongings. He questioned whether he should go any further, but he wanted to ensure there was nothing else dangerous in the bag before he gave it back, or anything that would give any answers.

On top of a jacket were several photo albums and a diary. Fox pulled that out with more interest.

"Hey look at this" Fox said to Slippy who was standing by his side looking at one of the photo albums.

"He didn't take it with him" Slippy said simply as he flicked through the pages.

"How do you know that?" Fox asked

"Peppy told me. He was trying to find out where he'd gone"

"No luck I gather"

"Nope"

Still Fox flicked the pages. The last entry was the day before he left. He put it down and picked up the other photo album, the one Slippy wasn't looking at. He flicked through it, most of the photos were of the team, a few of Falco's family and friends. Then one that had been pushed into one of the back pages without being stuck in caught his eye. He pulled it out. It was of a group of people Fox didn't recognise, except for Falco standing in the middle.

"Hey Slippy, do you recognise any of these"

Slippy peered over Fox's shoulder. He looked at the faces, he didn't recognise any of them. Then something in the background caught his eye.

"No, but I know the symbol on that ship." He pointed to the tip of the wing of a grey-brown shuttle in the background.

"The Cornerian Army?... Pepper does have something to do with this."

"More than we realised"

Fox looked at the picture intently, but it gave up no more secrets. Without a story to go with it, it was fairly meaningless.

"It's recent..." Slippy mused "he would have his hand in his pocket wouldn't he... if he didn't we might be able to work out how recent. But _we_ haven't been near Corneria for months..."

Fox put the picture down on the table. "we'll ask Peppy. He might be able to tell us who they are"

Fox turned back to Falco's bag, he froze when his fingers closed around a small, cool, glass capsule. Shaking he pulled it out. He starred at the cyanide pill in his hand. He hurt in ways he didn't know were possible. He had felt something else nestled in Falco's jacket, he pulled it out. A toy Arwing rested in his other hand, Fox had given it to him on the day they met. The two things had such contrast. The toy seemed so innocent...

"Agghh I'll get those fucking bastards" he threw the cyanide pill at the opposite wall. The glass case smashed. Slippy placed his hand on his back. Fox ignored him and turned back to the little Arwing. He couldn't believe Falco had kept it after all this time, and that out of all the things he could have taken this was one of the things he chose. "...I'll rip their rotten hearts out..."

"Peppy... they killed them. All of them."

Peppy decided it was best just to listen.

"There were six of us... and I let them all die... once they were finished they brought their bodies in so I could see them. That was a horror reserved just for me. I... don't think I have the words... for the things they... did... to us" He shook as the memories flashed across his mind, his voice breaking. "if I'm going to tell this story... I only want to have to do it once... I want Fox and Pepper to hear it too"

"General Pepper?"

Falco nodded.

"I want to talk to Fox"

"Alright... you will tell us what happened wont you"

Falco fought the urge to be sick "Yes. A few hours longer until we get to Corneria isn't going to make any difference. It's a very long story."

"Alright little one..."

Falco stood up. Peppy moved to his side.

"Its been a very hard few months. I'm tired...." Falco sighed more to himself than Peppy. Peppy wondered what he was tired of.

Fox sat solemnly in his favourite chair on the bridge, Slippy by his side. The world seemed to have turned upside down in the last few moments. Yet lots of strange events seemed to fit suddenly into place. Falco's unusual behaviour at least had been explained. He looked down again at the toy Arwing resting in his hand. He fingered it gently, as though it was a last fragile connection to their more innocent past. Why did this have to happen? He asked himself. First Peppy now Falco. There were lots of people in the universe who could be unimaginably cruel Fox realised. Things were no better now than they had been 10 years ago, when his father had lacked the strength Falco had found. That was just like Falco, he always had been stubborn. Fox smiled briefly to himself as images of a very young Falco refusing to do his homework crossed his mind. But that was a long time ago...

Slippy and Fox both jumped when Falco and Peppy entered the room. They turned to look at them. Falco looked as though he had died on the Behemoth. Peppy didn't look much better. Fox couldn't find anything to say.

"Are we heading for Corneria?" Falco asked in barely more than a whisper.

"Yes... General Pepper's coming out to meet us..."

"oh good..." Falco fell into a chair. Every fibre of his body seemed to hurt again, it felt as though the lasts of the fight had gone out of him. "If I don't say this now I'm afraid I never will... I'm sorry... for everything... for running out and disappearing... for screwing up the mission yesterday... for all the things I said, and all the things I _should_ have said but didn't and... everything else. For the things you don't realise I did and all the things I never said sorry for before" he paused for a long time. "Fox, I'm sorry about Krystal"

"huh?" was the only intelligible thing he found to say.

"You'll understand. I wanted to say it before so hopefully... well you understand when I tell you"

"When are you going to tell us what happened?" Fox asked

"Soon"

"Can I do some of the telling?" Slippy asked "well I sort of did anyway..."

Falco looked up and smiled "Well we're nearly to Corneria. Fox... I hate Dinosaur food too"

He yawned and looked away. Peppy jaw dropped then he turned to frown at Slippy.

"Later" Fox mouthed at him.

Mercifully Falco fell asleep shortly afterwards, which allowed the three of them to compare notes.

"Fox did you call the General?"

"Yes..."

"Find anything out?"

"Not really, but we did find this"

Fox handed Peppy the photograph and pointed out the marking on the shuttle's wing.

"Do you know who they are?" Fox asked. Peppy stared at the photo.

"Six..." was all he managed to say "He said there were six of them, and they all died, except him"

Fox and Slippy stared in disbelief.

"I assume they were Falco's strike team, doing whatever it was they were doing on the Behemoth..."

"Dead... all of them?" Slippy mumbled. The picture suddenly seemed more evil and dark than it had before.

"Yes..." Peppy said grimly. He pushed the photo away. "Find anything else out"

"Err... I have a confession to make" Slippy said slowly.

"What?" Peppy asked.

"Falco was on Dinosaur Planet when we were..."

Peppy looked mad for a moment then it faded to sadness.

"You knew where he was and you didn't tell me?"

Slippy backed away behind Fox a little.

"He didn't tell me either" Fox said gently edging in front of Slippy, trying his best to calm Peppy.

"I would have honest, but he begged me not to say anything. I couldn't betray his trust, and I was afraid if I told he would disappear again. At least I could keep an eye on him like that"

Slippy proceeded to tell Peppy the same thing as he had told Fox. Once he was finished Peppy spoke up.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me..."

"Falco disappeared before, I had no reason to believe he couldn't just do it again if we pissed him off. I didn't want to risk it. I was going to tell you when things got really rough but Falco pulled himself out the other side and didn't give me any real reason to break my promise."

"He must have gone there after the Behemoth..." Fox mumbled

"What were his bio-readings like when you first made contact Slippy?"

"Err... I don't remember, I wasn't looking at them. They can't have been too unstable, else the computer would have alerted me... I wish I'd realised. I'm sorry Peppy... I'd never have let him continue if I had known what had happened..."

It was darker than he knew it was possible to be, all except for the occasional flash of light in the distance. The wind was blowing fiercely, cold, he shivered. The stars were absent. Then the wind stopped and a familiar smell returned, blood, vomit and dirt. He was trapped. They were coming for him, dragging something heavy along the floor. The door swung open casting light on him where he cowered in the corner. They laughed. In the light Falco could see a familiar body. Fox. His muzzle smashed in, his ears cut off the top of his head. Bone sticking out of his bare arms. His legs burnt free of fur from the knee down. His tail missing. His eyes no longer in their sockets.

"Fox!!" Falco screamed.

The three of them jumped and turned to look at him. Falco sat staring blankly around the room. Peppy was up and by his side in seconds.

"Falco wake up!" he shouted.

Falco never had been able to refuse that voice. He snapped aware again. He looked at Peppy briefly before burring his head in his chest and sobbing. Peppy looked round from where he held Falco.

"Fox is here Falco, safe. So am I and Slippy, you're safe too. On Great Fox. _Home_"

Falco didn't move or make a sound. Fox and Slippy came over, Fox looked helplessly to Peppy, unsure what to say. Peppy shrugged weakly. Then Fox thought of something.

"Hey Falco, I found this in your bag, I thought you'd want it back so I brought it with me"

Falco looked up. Fox held out the toy Arwing. Falco looked at it for a moment then took it out of his hand.

"You know of all the things I left behind this was one of the things I wanted most" he said quietly. "Silly really" he sniffed.

"Didn't I give that to you Fox?" Peppy asked.

"Yeah, I gave it to Falco the day we met"

"oh I remember that"

"...I used to dream I was home on Great Fox and we were just...well just all together..."

"We are now" Fox said gently.

"But how long will it last? How long will it be before the Behemoth takes one of _you_ away from me?" He asked pitifully

"We wont let that happen" Peppy said

"That's what I said, but I didn't bring anyone home, and I left the Behemoth in one piece."

A moment's uncomfortable silence was broken by a bleeping alarm.

"General Pepper is here" Fox said quietly

"Falco, are you up for this?" Peppy asked

"Yes..."

"Fox go down and meet him"

"I'll come too" Falco said standing up.

They watched the small Cornerian shuttle come in to dock. A few fighters pealed away and took up flanking positions around Great Fox.

"He gets fighter escorts" Falco mumbled bitterly

"Huh?" Peppy asked gently.

"Never mind" Falco looked back to where the shuttle was touching down heavily on the landing surface, its engines roaring. It seemed so familiar, yet still very wrong. Silver should still be flying shuttles like that... not... wherever her body had ended up. Salty should still be toying with his inventions and sharing his ideas with Slippy, they could have been friends... The shuttle's engine noise receded. The door on the side opened, the same as the one Falco and his team had walked through before the nightmare began. A familiar figure, a tall Canite bulldog walked out and came over to where the four of them stood close together. Falco slumped on Peppy's arm when he approached.

"Falco I know its hard for you to believe but it is good to see you're safe"

For a moment Falco's heart burned then his eyes filled with tears.

"Look at me" he held out his arms "I'm the only one that's left. Why'd they have to die?"

"I'm sorry Falco. There was nothing I could do; the Angels were pulled at the last moment. I did everything I could"

"We watched _your_ access code go through the bomb. You betrayed those kids. You betrayed _me_. A few fighters would have been all it would have taken. You could even have asked Fox. They died in ways _you_ can't even imagine. You wasted the only chance we're likely to get against the Behemoth!"

"Command said Angel flight was too risky, we would loose too many pilots, they said to just detonate the bomb when your time was up."

"That's why you sent kids... Me... you knew no-one would miss us. That's sick. I can't believe even you could sink that low. You sent us on a suicide mission!"

"Falco it wasn't like that-"

"I don't want to hear it! If you wanted a suicide bomber you should have sent me alone." Falco's voice was hysterical. Fox felt suddenly very sick.

"Don't talk like that Falco, look around you, in this room there are four friends who would miss you"

"I only see three friends"

"I don't expect you to forgive me" Pepper sighed "But the Behemoth has to be stopped, we need your help"

Falco staggered back against Peppy "What? You want me to go back?"

"Yes, lead another strike team, this time you'll have the full support of the Army, it won't be a secret anymore"

"You and your damn Federation secrets! One of your secrets got me thrown out of the army, another soiled the name of James McCloud when you told the people Andross was gone and now destroyed the life of one of my kids!" Slippy turned to Peppy and frowned. "What next?" Peppy asked

"Falco..." Fox stammered "I-I went through your bag... the cyanide... were you gunna use it?"

Peppy's heart filled with rage. Had he not been holding Falco up he was sure he would have hit Pepper at that moment.

"Get away from my family" Peppy snarled.

"Peppy come on now-"

"I thought we were friends... you _knew_ how worried I was, you didn't even tell me he was with you. If you knew he was captured you're supposed to tell the guardians. That's me Pepper"

"The Behemoth was top secret..." Pepper realised the mistake he'd made as soon as he spoke. Peppy turned to Fox and Slippy.

"Fox please take Falco to the common room and stay with him ok?" Fox nodded "Pepper and I are going to have a little chat" Peppy watched Fox and Slippy lead Falco out of the docking bay. He dropped his head and breathed deeply. "Punching the Cornerian Minister of Defence in the face isn't going to get me anywhere... no matter how good it would make me feel. Just answer this ok?... when I called you and asked you if you'd heard from him and you said no..."

"He was down the corridor training to fight on the Behemoth" Pepper said sadly.

"Would it have done your secrets that much harm to put an old man's mind at rest?"

"Probably not. Peppy you're not old, I'm older than you"

"I feel very old today..." Peppy sighed "we both held Fox in our arms when he was born. We watched him grow up, when James couldn't anymore. You stood with us at his funeral... I asked you to take care of them if something should happen to me... was sending him on a suicide mission and not telling me part of that... Or did I do something to make you hate me so much that you would strike me where it hurts the most?"

"No Peppy... I've never hated you, or one of them for a moment of my life. It wasn't a suicide mission, at least not to begin with. Falco asked me if he could go, he also asked me not to tell you where he was. He didn't want you to worry. I didn't want to let him go but he persuaded me, he was one of the best people for the job."

"I didn't realise he'd asked you to make him part of the strike team"

"Part of it? - Peppy Falco _led_ it. He was one of the first to bring us pictures and scans of the Behemoth, he ran into it a few hours after he left you..."

"Really, I didn't know, he hasn't told me anything much so far"

"He was in the right place, at the right time, or the wrong place, depending how you see it, a few hours longer and he would probably have never even seen it, at least until today. If he hadn't been there we would have lost even more. We didn't know it was the Behemoth. If we had we would never have sent the fleet in, or Star Fox. I admired his courage in the battle."

Peppy thought of something "Did you sent him to help the CloudRunner"

"The CloudRunner? No, up until I saw him after you beat Andross I thought he was dead"

"Oh"

"What was he doing with the CloudRunner?"

"Not a clue, anymore than Slippy's bio readings anyway..."

"How much trouble can that boy get into in six weeks?" Pepper asked. Peppy smiled sadly and rubbed his eyes. Pepper came over and put his arm round his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Peppy, I was going to tell you after Fox had finished on Dinosaur Planet... you can understand the shock I got when I saw him" Pepper paused "I guessed he was the only one that got out alive. They were good kids..."

"I should have seen it... I didn't because I wouldn't let myself... What kind of guardian am I if I missed what was happening to him? I of all people should have realised what was going on! It was staring me in the face! Begging me to see it!" Peppy said angrily "But I let him down... like I always do..."

"I'm sure Falco doesn't see it like that. You were too close, you know what it's like, you didn't want to think about that happening to Falco... in case your thoughts would somehow make it true"

"It was ten years ago... I still have nightmares... I can still hear James screaming"

"I wasn't there, but so can I. Every night after we lost contact with Falco's team I had nightmares, not only about them but about what I would say to you and how you would react... I was attending another funeral and standing by your sides. Part of me wishes you would punch me in the face."

Peppy smiled "I'm not going to oblige today. Come on I left Fox to take care of him... that's never a good thing" Peppy smiled sarcastically.

"Falco told me what happened when he ran out"

"Really, I never found out what they were arguing about. I was too worried to bother to ask. Poor Fox... I blamed him to begin with, I shouldn't have but..."

"Ah its easily done. I'm sure Fox wont hold it against you"

Peppy shrugged and led Pepper to the common room.

Falco, Fox and Slippy were sitting around in the common room. They all seemed grateful for their arrival. Pepper and Peppy came in and sat down. There was silence for a moment until Falco sighed heavily, shook himself and spoke.

"Peppy told me that if I tell you what happened the pain will go away... right now I'm willing to try anything... Besides you need to know what happened. I think the situation may be more serious than we realised... please bare with me... my memory for certain things is not what it was..."

Falco looked round helplessly at the team, feeling suddenly very alone. He took a deep breath and then began his tale...


	2. Part 2: Spectre Strike

Part 2:

SPECTRE STRIKE 

"_The right place at the right time, or the wrong place, depending how you see it..." _

Falco put his bag in the storage locker in the back of the Arwing. He took a farewell glance around the hanger before hopping into the ship. It lifted off slowly. Falco rubbed at his beak, it left a streak of blood across the back of his hand. He wasn't particularly angry, which surprised him. He was just sad it had come to this. Great Fox's bay doors opened and he flew slowly out. He wasn't sure how long it would be before he returned there. For a moment his anger resurfaced _"I don't care" _a mean little voice in the back of his mind said. He ignored it. He did care really. He decided to head for the nearest base, put out a message to his Wandering Avion friends and see who responded, maybe hook up with one of them and go see some of the brighter places in the Federation. Falco was sick of only ever seeing planets when they were up in flames. Once he found someone or somewhere to stay he would call them and tell them where he was. It wasn't fair on Peppy not to say anything. He drifted further from the ship, as planed no-one had noticed his departure. He guessed he would have about half an hour before anyone noticed, if he went at a moderate speed he could be off the scanners by the time anyone looked for him. Even so he headed in the opposite direction to Great Fox.

"Fox! What the hell did you say to him?"

"Huh?" Fox looked sulkily up from the chair in the common room.

"What did you say to him?" Peppy asked again.

"Nothing"

"Well you must have said something! He's gone Fox!"

"I didn't-What? What d'you mean gone?"

"Gone, as in, not onboard anymore"

"I-oh shit. He wouldn't"

"Wouldn't what?"

"Listen to me for once"

"What did you say to him?" Peppy asked angrily

"I told him to get off my ship..."

"Fox you idiot!!"

"I didn't think for one minute he would take me seriously!"

"That's the problem Fox you didn't think at all!"

"I... where's he gone?"

"I don't know Fox" he said exasperated. "I wish I did. He's gone too far for scanners to find him..."

Falco fiddled with the radio, eventually he picked up something remotely interesting, the news as it happened. He tapped his hands against the controls and listened with mild curiosity.

"-Forest fires continue to spread on Korona. Local fire fighting units have been battling the flames since early yesterday with little success. The local planets have also sent in their services to assist but they are struggling to contain the blaze as it moves closer and closer to one of the major cities in the southern hemisphere. Reporter Mandy Simmons is there now-

"The fire has now reached the outskirts of the city, fire-fighters and local people are doing their best to repel the flames and protect their property but it looks to be a loosing battle. Little rainfall and hot conditions over the last three months have led the surrounding landscape to be as dry as matchwood. Fierce winds are also helping to fan the flames closer to the houses. I am standing in one of the streets and I can tell you the heat is incredible! Plans are in place to evacuate the residents however they are unwilling to leave their homes"

Thank you Mandy.

In other news the Federation has again refused to comment on the increasing humanitarian crisis on Andolonia as supply convoys again fail to breach the rebel blockades. After three months of civil war hundreds of thousands face starvation as the separatists hold the planet to ransom, preventing all but their own supply vessels from reaching the surface. The Federation stood by its refusal of military assistance to ensure the supplies get through. Further diplomatic efforts have failed. The separatists are refusing to drop the blockades until their demands are met. Aid workers predict that there will be serious famine on the planet if supply lines cannot be restored within the next few days. Large protests have been held in anger at the Federation's decision, military commanders are meeting again today to discuss the situation.

A bleeping stirred Falco from his thoughts. He reached down and switched the radio off. He looked down at the scanners.

"That's funny" he said to no-one in particular. A strange set of signals were coming through. Falco's curiosity got the better of him. He turned his Arwing to head towards them. "There's no shipping lanes for miles around here... If they're in trouble maybe I can lend a hand..."

As Falco got closer to the strange readings his suspicions increased.

"Those look like fighter signals... nah can't be, not this far out. But if those are fighters what the hell's that big thing they're circling round? Its enormous, that thing must be 20 times the size of Great Fox! There's definitely something funny going on here" Falco still approached the source of the readings although slower now with more caution.

"What the hell? _That's_ a ship?" Falco stared at the ship in the distance. It was dark black and massive, lumbering along slowly. "This can't be good" Falco continued to stare at it "there must be 50 fighters patrolling that thing, and even that isn't many. There must be bay space for a thousand on that thing!... I think I'd rather if it doesn't spot me."

He cut the engine and systems to their minimum then began scanning the ship with everything he had, even photography. He'd never understood before why Slippy had bothered fitting the Arwings with cameras.

"I'm just one more ship out here amongst all those other ones, so hopefully they wont notice me. Maybe I can get a little closer. Besides if they do spot me I can be long gone by the time they organise fighters to give chase... I hope so anyway"

He pushed his Arwing as close as he dared "Scans are better the closer you get..." Falco looked up "But I think this is close enough" he stayed for a little longer scanning and taking photos "time to leave now I think"

Falco pulled the Arwing away and sped off into the distance, towards Corneria, though he didn't realise it.

"Shit what if that thing wasn't one of ours?" Falco said suddenly "The Federation is in major trouble! There goes my quiet couple of weeks. So what the hell do I do now... I can't go back to Great Fox... Corneria I suppose. Tell General Pepper. Oh hell I seriously hope I've got this all wrong!"

Falco headed for the nearest shipping lane. "maybe someone will pick me up. I need to get there fast, before that thing does any damage" Falco stopped suddenly then sighed "phew, at least Fox is going in the opposite direction, they wont run into it..."

"you don't think he could have gone home, back to Avion do you?"

Peppy looked round from the panel where Slippy was trying to increase their sensor range.

"no"

"What makes you so sure?" Fox asked

Peppy had never been certain if Falco had told Fox. He guessed not. Peppy had only found out himself a few months ago, when he'd pressured him to visit his family that little bit too hard, after avoiding the issue and shrugging their proximity to Avion off for days Falco had finally exploded. His exact words seemed to be burned into Peppy's mind, mainly because they had come as such a shock, though they had still confirmed suspicions Peppy had never been able to fully shake off.

"If I go back there I wont be held responsible for my actions. If I ever see my father again it wont be him doing the beating! I'll make him regret what he did to me. I'm not so defenceless anymore!"

Falco had only been 8 when he had been forced onto streets in fear that the next time his father's abuse would be fatal. For a month he had thieved and fought to survive, working with a pack of StreetRunner as they called themselves. Falco owed their leader Jedd his life several times over. When the police finally found him and picked him up he'd been afraid to go home. He suffered abuse at the hands of his father for the next few months, but the streets had taught him to defend himself. Fortunately for him the Star Fox team had come along shortly afterwards and in his words "rescued" him. Longer and he would have been killed in the conflicts or forced to flee again...

"Falco wont go back to Avion. I'm certain of that" Peppy said angrily.

The after-blast of the massive cargo carrier shook Falco's Arwing. He watched it recede into the distance.

"Thanks" he mumbled irritably as he pushed his Arwing as fast as it would go along the edge of the shipping lane. It was fairly busy so he hoped there would be something else along soon. The scanner started to bleep again. Another smaller cargo carrier came into range, as it approached it began to reduce its speed until it passed him and then matched speed with him flying along just ahead and to his left.

"Need a lift buddy?" a voice asked

"Yeah!" Falco answered... _"well duh"_ he thought

"Where you headed?"

"Corneria, as fast as possible"

"We're heading for Katina, we'll drop you off on the way. Hop aboard!"

Falco watched the cargo bay doors open and landing lights come on to guide him in. He coaxed his Arwing into the docking bay, docking at these kinds of speeds was scary, his ship could barely go quick enough. He managed however and landed on the cramped deck between boxes of supplies. He left his Arwing to cool. Its over pressured engines whining their objections. The voice greeted him over the intercom.

"Welcome aboard, can you find your way to the bridge?"

"Err..."

"Top deck, find an elevator and go all the way up"

Falco walked out of the docking bay into a massive hold. Crates piled up to the ceiling at least three decks' height above. Falco knew there would be at least two other holds of this size in the ship. They were massive. This particular cargo carrier wasn't even one of the big ones. It was only about as big as Great Fox. The thought of the sheer size of some of them made Falco's head hurt. He looked round for an elevator. He spotted a promising set of double doors and headed towards them. When they opened they revealed a lift. Falco stepped inside and pushed the button to take him to the top deck.

Falco came out into a quiet corridor. He looked either direction. One end of the corridor stopped at a set of double doors, the other disappeared round a corner and had many doors leading off it. Falco made a guess and headed for the double doors. As he had hoped they led onto the bridge. Two people turned round to greet him. A Vulgarian, a badger like creature for want of a better comparison and a young Canite, like Fox.

"Welcome aboard _The Grand Duchess_" the Vulgarian said grinning. Falco looked around dilapidated bridge and grinned too, their was nothing grand about this ship. The Vulgarian smiled and patted one of the control panels. "She's an old girl, we have to be gentle... Sydney Tarbuck" he said holding out a hand which Falco shook "And this is Tom"

"Hi" Tom said shyly

Falco was about to introduce himself when Sydney spoke again.

"Hey don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked. Falco shook his head wearily.

"Falco Lombardi" He said simply.

"Yeah that's it! From Star Fox right?"

"My reputation precedes me. Yeah that's right"

"Where your buddies? I haven't seen your ship on any of our scans"

Falco formulated a lie that would answer lots of awkward questions quickly.

"I'm on holiday, some friends of mine were supposed to pick me up but they got delayed, that's why I'm heading for Corneria, I'm going to meet them there."

"oh right"

"We're supposed to be getting a shuttle to an outlying colony this evening, so I'm in a bit of a hurry. I really appreciate the lift."

"Sure thing, it brightens up the journey. Mighty boring going form one side of the Federation to the other all the time. Its not every trip we can pick up a hitch-hiker"

"I never thought of it like that" Falco said mildly leaning against one of the chairs and looking out at the stars flicking quickly past.

"how long till we reach Corneria?" he asked.

"A couple of hours, chill buddy, its not going anywhere"

When Falco thought of the ship he wondered.

"Yeah I suppose not"

"We'll get you there in plenty of time to meet your friends and your shuttle."

Falco suddenly felt a small presence beside him tugging on his sleeve.

"Can I see your ship?" An equally small voice asked. Tom looked up at him with big child eyes.

"Yeah ok..." he went to leave the bridge "you don't mind do you?" he suddenly asked Sydney, remembering how touchy Peppy could sometimes get.

"Of course not! I'd like to come too, but someone has to drive!" Falco smiled and walked through the double doors followed by Tom.

Falco lifted Tom into the cockpit.

"Ohhh!!!" He cried in young delight. Falco smiled to himself as he watched the small boy in the cockpit, if Fox could see him now... they'd be laughing about this for weeks... Falco showed Tom the airbrake pedals and where they corresponded to the moving parts of the wing. The first thing Fox had ever shown him, when he was only a little older than Tom. Falco let him play as he checked one of the engine inspection panels. He had to make sure he hadn't burnt anything out in his haste to get away from the ship. The engine smelt a bit hot but nothing obvious was hanging off. Falco closed the panel again as he listened to Tom make engine and laser noises. Falco climbed the ladder on the side of the ship and lent into the cockpit to watch him. Tom looked up and spoke.

"Daddy'll never believe I got to ride in a real Arwing!" Falco frowned at him, he knew better than to ask the question playing on his mind. Instead Tom answered it for him "He's asleep, its Sydney's turn to fly the ship. He wont be up for hours! They let me fly it a while back! Daddy will get in trouble if mummy finds out" he laughed to himself "mummy doesn't usually let me go with daddy and Sydney on their trips but I'm on holiday from school. She finally let me go"

Falco lent into the cockpit "would you like to be a pilot?"

"Yeah, I'm gunna fly Cargo Carriers like daddy. He said he'd give me Duchess, but I think all she'll be good for is scrap by the time I'm big" Falco smiled but said nothing. He could hear the ship's engines struggling to keep up their speed, she seemed to rattle a lot more than Falco was used to as well.

A little later they returned to the bridge. Tom chattered happily to Sydney as Falco lent against one of the rails. He decided however it was probably better to stand up when it moved under his weight. He listened mildly as Sydney talked on the comm.

"Cargo Carrier Grand Duchess this is shipping control. You are now entering the Lylat quadrant, please your reduce speed."

"Roger Lylat" Falco felt the ship lurch as is speed dropped considerably.

"Please state your destination"

"Katina, Adria city"

"Thank you Grand Duchess, please observe the speed limit and shipping rules. Have a safe and pleasant journey"

"Thank you control. Grand Duchess out"

Sydney cut the comm.

"Well Falco you're welcome to stay with us a bit longer but if you're in a hurry it might be quicker for you to go on alone. The shipping lanes are always bottlenecked around Corneria"

"I know" Falco smiled "'Cept when we come in we get a military escort and bypass the lot"

"ah you haven't lived until you've sat in the Cornerian entrance corridor for 4 hours... lovely"

Falco smiled.

"I hate making deliveries to Corneria, heck anywhere in the Lylat quadrant, its always packed!"

Falco looked out the window. Their speed was now very low.

"It probably would be quicker for me on my own. My Arwing will slip through the crowds. Thanks for the lift. I owe you one, I'll give you a wave if I see you on my travels"

"Military escort would be nice next time we have to deliver to Corneria!"

Falco smiled "I'll se what I can do."

"Goodbye Falco" Tom shouted

"Bye Tom. Thanks again Sydney"

Falco walked off the bridge. He was reminded that he was in a hurry. That ship was definitely up to something, but he couldn't risk using the comm. to talk about it. Even the most secure lines could be tapped, as Slippy had proven more than once.

The bay doors opened and Falco flew out. He barrel rolled briefly as he passed the bridge window then pulled away. Small vessels could fly just about anywhere except the shipping lanes.

Falco dropped down into the Cornerian atmosphere.

"I remember this place" he mumbled to himself. "Crowded, hot, smelly, noisy. Ugh give me a moon with no-one on it any day" He drifted above the skyscraper filled world "and people call this place beautiful? Deprived, the poor things." He glided closer to the buildings. In the hazy distance he could see the massive bulk of the military base and the long stretches of runway needed for some of the ships.

"unidentified vessel, please reduce your height to road level, you are currently blocking cruiser landing approach routes"

"Sorry" Falco said over the comm. as he pitched his Arwing's nose down. It struck him how much easier things had been when Fox was there. He dropped into the highest level of normal traffic, where vessels on long trips used. The lane was high above the buildings but for some reason was still called "road level".

"is it always sunny here?" he asked as the Arwing logged hot conditions outside. There hadn't bee a cloud to see when he had flown in. "nice day for the beach. Have to take lots of sun block... hold on what's going on up here then?"

Up ahead a police ship sat in the road. Most of the traffic was pitching down into the main streets, flying between the buildings.

"Oh yay! Today just keeps getting better and better!" he followed the lane. The police cruiser directed him down onto the streets

"No, I want to carry on along there" The police cruiser signalled again "but..." it still signalled "alright, alright!!" Falco followed the stream of traffic down "Who am I to wonder at the logic of a traffic cop? Send a military vessel into the heart of civilian territory, makes perfect sense" Falco shook his head and checked his weapons were disarmed. "Hey, I'm not even licensed to fly in city streets but _never_ mind. As long as the police don't stop me huh?... Ah! This is what city life does to you. I'm talking to myself...oh well, nothing unusual there" Falco looked around as he passed between two large buildings "they couldn't even send me onto one of the expressways! Now, where the hell am I? I think the base was in this direction..." As he flew through Corneria's busy streets Falco was again reminded that it was a nice place to visit but he wouldn't want to live there. It was too crowded, noisy and polluted. It reminded him of Avion too much. If he ever settled on a planet it would have to have a population density of about 1 person to every 100 miles. Falco reprimanded himself for being anti-social. He took it back when a bakery van cut him up. He swore standing on the brakes.

"That's why I hate flying in cities!" he considered shooting the van but decided it wouldn't do his reputation much good. He was already getting funny looks from some of the civilian drivers. Not many Arwings were seen flying through the city streets. He tried to get the computer to log into the street map, something was interfering with the signal.

"Argh you piece of crap, you'd better start working soon or I'll be totally lost!" he thumped his hand on the panel as he sat waiting at traffic lights. The screen crackled but still read "Searching". The ship behind blew its horn at him. The light was green.

"Oops sorry!" he said and signalled apologetically. Falco thumped the control panel again, it still read "searching".

"Cheap piece of crap!" he shouted at it he looked around at the landscape outside "haven't Cornerians ever heard of sign posts?"

He followed the flow of traffic in the direction he hopped the base was in. Finally there was a bleeping sound. The computer had logged into the map.

"Find Corneria military base" Falco said to it. The road map displayed a route to the base. Starting with a turning on the left Falco had just missed.

"Find alternate route" he said irritably.

Fortunately for the computer it directed him up a few side streets and out onto an expressway,

"Good computer" Falco mumbled as he followed the directions.

Falco tried to ignore the fact that he was breaking the law as he sped a long the expressway. Peppy would have his head if he could see him now. Still the information had to get to General Pepper and this was the best way to do it. He sighed, things had been easier with Fox. Everyone recognised him... which wasn't always a good thing. Falco still remembered the hit squads, the assassination attempts, the car bomb meant for them...

Falco nearly had an accident as he tried to get off the expressway again. A small red personal transport undertook him and he narrowly avoided pulling into the side of it.

"Idiot!" he screamed as it sped past. The next thing in the lane, a purple van let him across.

"Thank you" he called and signalled gratefully. Arwings weren't designed for this kind of thing so he was left shaking the wing tips. He was glad to pull off. The new lane was empty apart from him and a couple of vans going in the opposite direction. Arwings came and went from the base all the time so most of the security posts didn't give him a second glance. The I.D on the ship had clearance and didn't register as stolen so they had no reason to stop him. Most people just didn't notice who it was registered to.

Falco left the Arwing in the secure compound outside the front of the base. As he walked through the entrance doors he noted how strange it was to be here not accompanied by Fox and the rest. The guards stopped Falco as he went to walk up the familiar corridor by pointing their guns at his head.

"Hey! What the hell? Let me through!"

"Do you have clearance?" Someone sat behind a table asked. Falco paused at that question, he'd been into the base more times than he could count, but before he'd always been with Fox. The guards had hardly batted an eyelid at him.

"Falco Lombardi, here to see General Pepper"

"Yeah, and I'm Fox McCloud" The sarcastic guard behind the table said.

"Fox is a lot shorter than you" Falco said equally sarcastically drawing out his I.D. He ignored the armed guards as they lowered their guns as he walked away from the corridor. He showed the card to the Canite behind the table and put his hand into he biochip reader.

"Err do you have an appointment?" he asked looking at the card and the readout.

"No" Falco said irritably

"Then you can't see him" the guard said smugly

Falco tapped the table "Just call him and tell him I want to talk to him"

"I can't sir, you'll have to leave now"

"Yeah, right" Falco said "I'm not going anywhere until I speak to him"

"I'm afraid you'll have to sir."

Falco lent over the desk and picked up the comm. and dialled the number he knew related to Pepper's office

"Call him" he said handing him the receiver. The shocked guard took it and waited for Pepper to answer. Falco leant back grinning.

"Uh, Sir there's a Falco Lombardi here insisting that he sees you"

General Pepper looked up. "Really" he commented.

"I'm sorry sir, we asked him to leave but he refused"

"Oh really, send him up." The general said. The guard's jaw dropped

"Sir?"

"Send him up" The comm. cut out. The guard turned a confused face to Falco and spoke resentfully.

"Let him through"

Falco smiled satisfied and walked off. "Thanks" he called causally to the fuming guard as he walked into the base.

Falco knocked on General Pepper's door.

"Enter" a familiar voice said. Falco stepped inside. General Pepper was standing facing the door. Falco noted his bright airy office hadn't changed much. His big desk sprawled with papers, a model Arwing on top of a computer monitor. A few photos of family and friends, one of those of James McCloud. It was quite nice, for an army general anyway. His window was wide open flooding the room with warm Cornerian sunlight.

"So Falco, what brings you all the way to Corneria?" He asked cheerfully

"Err..." Falco wasn't sure where to start, Pepper sat down heavily and gestured to offer Falco a seat. Falco sat down before continuing "Err... I was passing through the Martiri quadrant and I encountered something unusual" Pepper's head snapped up.

"What?" he asked so loudly it made Falco jump.

"uh... a ship" Falco said alarmed at his reaction. Pepper calmed himself down a little.

"Really, what sort of ship" he asked more casually

"I don't think it was one of ours sir..." he pulled a disk out of his pocket and gave it to him. Pepper stared at it for a moment before putting it in the computer.

"It think I got fairly good scans before I risked being picked up"

Pepper stared at the images on the computer. His face worried, flicking quickly through the scans

"Ah shit" he said to himself

"Sir have I stumbled upon something wasn't supposed to?" Falco asked uneasily. He didn't appear to hear him

"Falco, have you told anyone about this?"

"no"

"Did Fox and the rest see it?"

"No sir, we were going in opposite directions, unless it changes course they wont see it"

"Right..." Pepper stared at the scans for a long time "... the Martiri quadrant you say... makes sense." Pepper got up and closed the window. Falco followed him with his eyes.

"Sir?" Falco asked confused. Pepper pulled a file from a locked cabinet marked "top secret". Falco wondered what he was letting himself in for. Pepper sat down forlornly.

"Please don't be offended when I remind you that everything that goes on in this office must not go beyond the walls" Falco nodded

"Of course sir... can I ask... What the hell is that thing?"

"I was hoping you could tell me, you're the first to see it and live to talk about it"

Falco's breath caught in his throat. He coughed.

"What?!!" he finally managed to say. Pepper opened the file and handed Falco a diagram of a ship. He looked at it, it was a long range cargo carrier.

"This is a Celadon Cargo Carrier, the Mary Rose. She was travelling through the Lantini quadrant three days ago hauling food supplies. She turned off the main shipping lane towards her destination down a quiet route at 0700, an hour later shipping control lost contact with her"

Pepper paused for a moment to allow his words to sink in. Falco put the pieces together. The Lantini quadrant was next door to the Martiri. The cargo carrier was massive. He looked up.

"This is the last conversation of the pilots recorded and sent by the ship's systems." Pepper put a disk into the computer. It burst into the sounds of voices

"Real funny Ray" a female voice said. Laughter could be heard in the background. Eerily suddenly it stopped.

"Hey Jean do you see that on scanners?" a male voice asked

"What?... What the hell is that thing?"

"It's right over the shipping lane!"

"What's it doing? We've got priority"

"Stop! Before we hit it"

Sounds of the engines being run on an emergency stop rattled the cockpit.

"Wow look at that thing!"

"What's it doing?"

"Hey, is it gunna board us?"

"This is the Celadon cargo carrier Mary Rose what is your business? We are a civilian crew carrying food to Almec. Please respond"

Silence, then a scream.

"Mayday, mayday, Mary Rose to shipping command may-argghhh!"

The recording cut to crackles then nothing more.

Falco sat stunned in the oppressive silence. General Pepper then gave him a few images from the file.

"This is what was on the Mary Rose's last scans" Falco stared at the pictures. Heat scans, 3d modelling. He struggled to make sense of what he was seeing.

"The next vessel to go through was a personnel carrier, but not for several hours. It reported wreckage, but nowhere near enough to account for the destruction of a ship the Mary Rose's size. There was no sign any other ship. We have a mystery on our hands"

Pepper paused again and handed Falco another snatched picture.

"The same thing happened over another outlying shipping lane a week ago, another a few days before that."

He stopped again and nudged the photo Falco was staring at.

"Look familiar? Is that your ship?" Falco looked up helplessly and nodded.

"I picked a hell of a day to leave Star Fox" he groaned. Pepper looked up at the comment but said nothing.

"This vessel poses a military threat to the security of the Federation. You know that don't you"

"All those fighters, I gathered they were up to something"

"Fighters? How many did you count" Pepper asked flicking back to Falco's scans.

"Lots, maybe fifty patrolling and bay space for lots more"

"Really... Falco did you say you left Star Fox?"

"Sort of sir..." Falco said a little uneasily.

"Right..." That was good enough for him. Pepper paused for a long time "Where're you staying?"

"Uh, right now, nowhere"

"You can stay on the base"

Falco frowned suspiciously.

"Sir... can I ask what are you going to do about this thing?"

Pepper looked up and smiled grimly.

"We've been formulating a plan for the last few days... it still has lots of holes... more holes than fabric actually"

"Well what do you need?"

"Are you volunteering Falco?" Pepper asked his face cracking into a smile that was oddly familiar, though thoroughly unnerving. Falco got the impression he'd walked into a trap.

"... depends what you have in mind"

"Well actually Falco we have very little in mind, your scans are the first real pieces of information that are of any use to us."

"Can I offer my opinion sir?"

"Of course"

"That thing is so enormous... there must be space for a thousand fighters. Sir even if you could rally a fleet of 5 thousand they wouldn't even make a dent. Air combat's always been my specialty. If you send in the fleet I wouldn't rate their chances very highly. Arwings wont even make a dent"

"So what are you getting at?"

"We're going to have to take that thing out from the inside"

"That's what we thought. Excuse me a second" He pushed a button on the desk. "Could I have security in here please?" Pepper took the disk out of his computer wrote a quick note and shoved it in an envelope along with the disk. Then a guard knocked on the door. "Come in"

A tall Canite, a boxer like Pepper came into the room

"Ah Sam please take this to Doctor Davies for me"

"Yes sir" The Canite turned and trotted out of the room.

Pepper stood up "Come with me"

Falco stood and followed the General out of the office and down a long series of corridors. Falco could tell just by the feel of the place they were entering the hangers. Pepper led him down a hallway off the main corridor. He ran an access card into a scanner and put his hand out for a biochip reading. The door slid open.

"Come on Falco" he said as he looked nervously round. Pepper talked as they walked. "This is one of our research areas. Top secret as you might have gathered. I have something to show you. A neat little trick that would probably be more Slippy's sort of thing than yours"

Falco smiled "I guess I wont be able to share it with him though"

"No. We took the decision not to involve mercenary teams in this"

"Oh... so sir, why am I here?"

"You came at the right time, besides your not with Star Fox right now are you?"

"Not exactly no..." Falco said uneasily, that had never been his intention, he felt as though he was being backed into a corner.

"We might have a little mission for you after all..."

"_Oh look my quiet few weeks just flew out the window, bye, bye!"_ Falco thought in his mind and waved mentally.

Pepper took him into a large bay. A shuttle sat in the middle of it. A few people scurried around it.

"General pepper?" a little voice asked. Falco looked to see a young rabbit face peering round one of the doors. He was startled by just how young. He must only be the same age as Slippy. Slippy was far too young to be doing what he was.

"Falco this is Salty, the leader of this research team" Falco frowned. Salty emerged from the shuttle. His features reminded Falco of a much younger Peppy, but his face and manner were like Slippy through and through, wiping his oily hands on an even more oily cloth. Another young mechanical genius.

"Hi!" He said and Falco was sure. He grasped the outstretched hand.

"Salty will you show Falco what you've been working on"

Salty looked at him suspiciously then nodded.

"Ok guys time for a test run!" he called. A couple of others scampered around then Salty called out again "Ok hit it Max"

The shuttle faded and disappeared. Falco blinked and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. The shuttle still wasn't there. Salty smiled at his reaction. Helplessly Falco looked at General Pepper who nodded to Salty.

"Ok Max that's enough" he called. The shuttle reappeared.

"Thank you Salty" General Pepper said. Salty smiled and trotted off.

"How?" Falco asked when he managed to get his mouth to work again.

"You'd have to ask Salty that" He walked off and gestured for him to follow.

Pepper turned to look out the window of the side room onto the bay where Salty and his team were working.

"Do you think it could be useful?" he asked a still stunned Falco.

"Err...well... uh?"

"Thing is for the power source we loose shields... its been a long time since I flew any combat missions. Since before you were born probably. Times have moved on"

"Well sir... if you can just disappear... you wouldn't need shields if you can slip past the fighters unnoticed"

"yes... do you think you could land in a docking bay without being noticed?"

Falco began to realise what he was getting at.

"well it depends on the security systems... Great Fox used to pick up anything that came in... it depends what the ship scans for and what that device covers up... honestly sir I don't know."

"Ok thank you Falco. I have to meet with some other Generals this afternoon. We are discussing this mission. If we need your help would you be willing?"

"Yes sir." Falco was sure he couldn't really say no, he knew to much now.

"good. The exact mission hasn't been detailed yet, I think we would be glad of your input, you are after all the only one to have seen this thing properly"

"Ok..."

"good, bring your ship around here, I'd rather if no-one spotted a Star Fox Arwing in the back yard. The press and all you know"

Falco nodded.

Several Generals sat round a large table in an unpleasantly warm Cornerian office. Falco and Salty, the mechanic, sat side by side felt thoroughly out of place.

"I feel like a sparrow in a cattery" Falco whispered to him as they waited for the meeting to start. Falco was surprised when Salty laughed. Falco found himself grinning for some reason he didn't really understand.

"What's funny?" General Pepper asked. They both looked up.

"Nothing" Falco said coughing to smother laughter, watching Salty out of the corner of his eye as he sniggered into his hand. There was something oddly familiar about him. Falco found himself seeing Slippy again when he looked at him, which was surprising as his rabbit features were more like Peppy's. There was something in his eyes, a youthful vitality and curiosity for life that they shared. Falco turned to watch an older rabbit wearing a white coat enter the room.

"Ah Doctor Davies, we've been waiting for you" General Pepper said. "if everyone could take their seats now"

The group of people who had been dotted around the room came and sat down in various places. When Falco looked round he found he knew most of them, by name if not personally.

"sorry sir, I've been busy looking at these scans" Doctor Davies said.

"Not at all" Pepper smiled. Once every one was sat down he spoke again "Welcome everyone. First I must introduce Salty Greenbank, the mechanical genius responsible for our new cloaking technology, and for those of you who don't know him, Falco Lombardi, who brought us those scans. Doctor Davies, have you found anything out?"

"Well" he stood up and put a disk into a computer in the table. A now familiar shape flashed up as a hologram in the middle of the table. A mostly square ship, which seemed never to have encountered the idea of aerodynamics, it was hard even to tell which side was the front. "Thanks to Falco's scans we now have significantly more information on this "Behemoth" as my team and some others have come to call it. It is massive for want of a better word. We scanned a patrolling fleet of 47 vessels, which has led up to believe that this ship's onboard fleet must be extensive. We have found at least 7 large docking bays and 4 smaller ones" He clicked the controls so the hologram zoomed in on a specific area "The weaponry on this ship is extensive"

One of the Generals whistled to himself as a huge cannon was displayed.

"Indeed. We've counted at least 20 of these cannons all across the hull, they are more than capable of destroying Arwing and Javelin class fighters with single shots. The hull is also peppered with smaller automated laser cannons. An aerial assault is impractical, if not suicide. An internal strike team is the only logical option if this threat is to be removed, and clearly it is a threat. The situation has not changed much with the addition of these scans, our options remain the same I feel, however we now have more information to go on "

"Any suggestions?" One General asked

"Yes. Salty, Falco and I have been discussing a plan. Salty's new cloaking device will allow a shuttle to become invisible, it may be possible to use this to our advantage-"

"What, just fly up to its docking bays and hope no one spots us??"

"More or less, yes"

One of the generals laughed out loud. He was silenced by a look from a few of the generals and Salty.

"Unfortunately" an old Vulgarian whose hair was now more grey than black said slowly "This is, so far, our only plausible plan" he spoke even more slowly to emphasis his point, Falco spotted Pepper flash him a grateful look. The Lupine who had laughed looked disgruntled.

"How do you suggest we do this without half this thing's crew knowing we're there?"

"The shuttle can become _invisible_"

"Yes Pepper I heard you the first time. There's more to getting into a ship like this than simply not being able to be seen with the naked eye"

"Salty." Pepper coaxed.

Salty found his voice but when he spoke it came out like a nervous squeak.

"The cloak will make the shuttle, and just about any other ship completely untraceable on most forms of sensors. You could pass within a few feet of a patrolling Arwing without them ever noticing we're there."

"Even so how do we get into the docking bay?"

"With that many fighters patrolling the bay doors would be open nearly all the time" Commander Alsair, border control pointed out.

"Surely the when the atmospheric barrier was broken they would notice something"

"That's the problem" Salty said weakly. "The cloak can't get rid of the physical object so the barrier would be disrupted. Also the ground crew would hear it coming in"

"With that many different ships coming and going its unlikely that there would be an automatic alarm triggered by the shuttle landing... isn't it?"

"Yes... but you might have... what... a few seconds of confusion until some smartass goes to raise the alarm?" A Canite like Fox said, General Hughes, Special Ops.

"Then the whole secrets out"

Falco spoke up.

"Not necessarily. You could glide the shuttle in, cut all the power except manoeuvring thrusters, that'll help with the heat signature and the noise levels. Have a couple of snipers ready to knock off the ground crew and you should be able to do it before anyone raises an alarm. If your fast... you'd need a damn good pilot too..."

"Could you do it Lombardi?"

Falco looked intently at the hologram shoving the docking bay. Finally he looked up.

"No"

"They say you're one of the best"

Falco smiled the shook his head "In an Arwing maybe, I have very little experience with personnel shuttles" Falco chuckled to himself "the last time I flew one it blew up, but that wasn't _entirely_ my fault. Short answer. Find someone else. I'll do the sniping"

"I think I know someone who might be able to do it" General Pepper mused "Silver Allret. If she can't do it no-one can"

Falco was thoughtful "Sir... in my view it's not getting in that will be the problem. Its getting out again" He said softly.

"Lets concentrate on getting in first Lombardi" A Lupine General Falco didn't know very well said. Oddly he reminded him of Wolf O'Donnell, only with both eyes, one of Fox's old... Friends? Hopefully long dead.

"I'm not in the business of suicide runs, there's no point in considering this operation if we can't get out again"

"Alright Falco, but lets just see if getting in is practical first" general Pepper said

That would be hard to get used to, with Fox they always planned the evacuation first, then worked out the rest of the mission. The Star Fox team always had more to lose than the army. Falco noticed Salty looking at him nervously, he tried to smile reassuringly, but Falco was suddenly overwhelmed with the sensation that he was in over his head.

"Do you think it would be possible to knock off all the ground crew... just like that?"

"It would have to be all of them. We can't afford to miss even one."

"How many we talking about? What ten, twenty?"

"Depends how big the docking bay is, get one of the smaller ones and your looking at ten, fifteen max" General Hughes said

Falco swore under his breath _"Why did I choose _today_ of all days to fight with Fox? I could have done without this. I really need to learn to say No!" _

"Well how long we gunna have... a good sniper can take... what five...in about fifteen seconds can't they?"

"Not without making a bloody mess they can't!" Falco heard himself object. Salty beside him jumped and stared at him. _"oh crap I've done it _again! _I do seem to have a knack for dropping myself in it today..."_

"Control yourself Lombardi" Pepper warned.

"Sorry sir"

"Well Commander Alsair. I think you were being a _little_ optimistic. General Hughes, your trained snipers, one of your best. How many, how long?"

"Mm" he rubbed his chin. "I don't know... sniping isn't something you usually rush... a fast sniper can get maybe... one every five seconds... Hell this is impossible to judge! It depends on the spacing and movement! I can't possibly say... The faster you go when sniping the more you risk missing, miss and you give the game away. You'd almost be better letting off a few rapid-fire rounds into them."

"That's too random! Hit a power relay and you'll have every alarm on the ship going off!"

"Snipe too fast and you risk that anyway"

"We'd need more than one... one each side of the shuttle at least, one on each door... This I going to be damn close... its stupid. The pilot would have to open the doors as soon as the shuttle breaches the atmosphere. This isn't just going to be close, it's going to be virtually impossible!"

"Does anyone have a better idea?"

Silence. Pepper turned to General Hughes

"Simple question, can it be done, yes, or no?"

"Um... Yes. I think so, though I'd say you'd need four snipers each facing opposite directions, two on each door. Even then it's going to be close."

Falco shrugged. "If it goes wrong at this stage the pilot can pull out and we can retreat. It's later that the real problems begin" Falco paused _"oh shit I just said "we", I've as good as volunteered for this!" _

"We haven't finished organising this stage yet Lombardi. Hold your horses!"

"Lombardi does make a good point. Ok, lets just say we get in without an alarm being raised. Then what?"

"Plant some DH4's and blow this thing to the other side of the Federation!"

"We'd need half a tonne to blow a ship that size!"

"If you strap it to a reactor core or something the chain reaction will do most of the work for you" Salty suggested.

"How do you suggest we find a reactor core Greenbank?!"

"Just track the power source. That's not hard, anyone in my team could build you a power source tracker out of the spare parts of children's toys"

Falco was surprised by Salty's words. He seemed to have had a sudden boost of confidence. He seemed to be regretting it now. Falco wondered it the heat was getting to them both.

"Alright Greenbank, but will your tracker stop you walking into a dead-end?"

"No, but I can adapt it to scan metallic surfaces, that'll give you as good as a map for about 100 meter radius. They'll have to make good on the route as they go, just head in the general direction of the power source."

The idea of getting lost in that ship terrified Falco.

"That's the best we can hope for. Unless someone's got an insider I don't know about"

There were little grunts of laughter from around the room. Falco found what they were discussing anything but funny. These generals had definitely lost touch with reality.

"You lot talk as though the strike team is going to be able to walk around undisturbed! Sooner or later _someone _will challenge them. From then on it could be a running gun battle if it goes pear shaped and someone raises the alarm. They will never be able to plant a bomb, get out _and_ blow it. If the people on the Behemoth discover the bomb they can disarm it and all the effort's wasted! The strike team doesn't need to have to contend with risking getting lost as well!" _"that's better..."Them" not us" _

"Well what _else_ do you suggest _Lombardi?_"

"I'm just telling the truth. I've been on black-ops that had more intelligence than this and seen them go wrong, and only just got out with my life. There are too many holes in this mission. You can't seriously justify going ahead with it until you remove some of the variables."

"No-one told me Lombardi was a coward. He doesn't live up to his reputation." The Lupine Falco still hadn't found a name for snarled. Falco bristled.

"By the look of things _I'm_ going to end up going on this mission. I'd like to be able to come back with my feathery hide intact! So far I'm not overly confident."

"I thought you mercenaries loved the risky missions?"

Falco laughed. "Sure, we just love throwing our lives away. Although I do concede that so far, nothing better has presented itself. I just thought you should be reminded of how risky this mission is. And if it goes wrong you'll lose your best advantage, your cloak. That will only fool them once. Twice at best."

"What would make you more confident?" Pepper asked giving Falco an appraising look that thoroughly unnerved him.

"Can't you get more deep set recognisance scans, the ones I brought in barely scratched the surface. Try and give us an idea of the internal layout, how many people on board and their locations. I'd rather not land in a shuttle bay right next to the soldier's mess-hall. Find an area that's mostly unoccupied and it would go a long way to making me breathe easier. At least find a docking bay that's close to the main reactor. We don't want to have to cross the entire ship to get to it then go back again!"

"Reasonable requests. Does anyone have any objections to that?"

"No, as long as the scanning vessels don't get caught."

"They won't. Alright Lombardi, I'll organise that... ok, so we get the bomb to the core. Is there anything we can do to stop them being able to remove it before we can get our people out?" Pepper asked

"Special Ops can deal with that, enough proximity alarms so that if anyone tampers with it, it will blow up anyway, hell if we're attaching it to something belching out as much power as a reactor core we could set up low level shielding! You'd need one of my guys to do that though"

"Alright Hughes, find someone"

He smiled "Already have just the guy or guys, if you want"

"Mm 2 special ops can't go amiss. Alright Hughes"

"How do we handle getting out again? Even I'm not optimistic enough to think we'll be able to slip out unnoticed"

"Thick blaster armour for a running gun battle... we can't do much more than that... except pray"

"_That's easy for him to say, he's not going" _Falco thought

"But that shuttle... even with the cloak it'll be a sitting duck, it's too slow" Commander Alsair said.

"Then we do what we always do, give the shuttle an escort" Pepper said

"But to do that we would need to carry Arwings in the shuttle and have pilots in the team!"

Pepper nodded towards Falco briefly and he suddenly realised why he was there, that was good though. He would be back in familiar territory.

"1 escort won't be enough. We'll need another one."

"I already have someone waiting in the wings" Pepper said smugly.

"We'd need to fit the Arwings with the cloaks"

"I can do that" Salty said simply.

"So what do the escorts do then... what... fly at the shuttle's wings and just blow away anything that seems too interested" Falco smiled "Cool!... Insane, but cool." _"I guess I am going, great." _Falco thought sarcastically _"Peppy's gunna kill me..." _

"I don't like the idea of a running gun battle... isn't there anything we can do about that?" Pepper asked nervously.

"Any ideas?"

"Lots of grenades and swift feet" Falco mumbled helplessly

"The only thing I can think is to set bombs on the way there so you can blow them on the way back and block the path of the pursuers"

"That'll make the journey there more dangerous."

"And they will know the way around the ship better than we will. They will be able to head us off." Falco said "I don't like this..." Falco mumbled then looked up "If we lose too many we wont have enough people to make good our escape... if I... and your other pilot go down the shuttle doesn't stand a chance. How many shuttle pilots you taking?"

"My boys can fly a shuttle at a push" General Hughes said

Falco nodded, reassured, but only a little. "So can I. But I'd rather be in an Arwing. I'd prefer if I knew I had external support waiting to help us out."

"That might help you inside too... If we time it right with enough fighters, they might not even notice the internal strike team. Send in enough fighters to worry them and make them think it's a real fight. That ship can't have much internal security. Most of the troops are probably pilots. Get the pilots into the sky and there's less chance of you getting shot, _and _less chance of the bomb being discovered. Question is when do we send them in."

"Yes, excellent..."

"How many fighters we talking about committing to helping them get out?" The Lupine asked, Falco finally remembered who he was, Commander Kramer, Katina Aerial defence, in charge of a huge fleet.

"And helping ensure the bomb goes off... maybe 250, enough to look impressive but not be a serious threat... we'll just have to pretend we've been misinformed" Pepper said grimly.

"We cant keep 250 fighters flying out secret."

"If we get this thing it wont have to be a secret anymore."

Falco suddenly wondered why it was a secret anyway... but he supposed the public would panic.

"When should we send them in? Too soon and we'll have too large a pilot casualties. To late and the strike team will be discovered"

"Just before they set the bomb. That will be their most vulnerable time, because they'll be stationary, and that way by the time they come to run, most of the pilots will be in the air."

"Right, should we put it on a timer or have the team call in the fleet"

"If you have them call it in there's a risk the communication will be picked up. If that happens we're all screwed!"

"Timer then... how long do you think"

"That depends on how far we have to go" Falco said

"We can't decide that until we get our new intelligence reports-"

The discussion was broken when a tall Vulgarian came into the room, he paused at the foot of the table and saluted General Pepper at the head.

"Priority intelligence report, received sir"

General Pepper looked up.

"Lets hear it sergeant Kane"

"30 minutes ago shipping command lost contact with a Cargo Carrier in the Martiri quadrant."

General Pepper exchanged nervous glances with several of the others around the table. Falco felt a chill climb up his spine.

"Thank you sergeant, anything else?" he walked around the table and handed Pepper a file. "This is the Cargo Carrier's design specification and service history, along with the cabin voice recordings." Falco noted a slight smile touch Kane's lips, and he wondered if Pepper and the Vulgarian were friends out of the office. Pepper nodded and Kane left the room. The group watched silently as Pepper opened the file and retrieved a disk from it. He placed it in a slot in the table and waited a few seconds...

"-Wanna fly high, so I can reach the highest of all the heavens-" The cabin flight recording. Falco wondered if the pilot would have been singing if he'd, known who would end up listening in. There were smothered chuckles from around the room, maybe that explained why Kane had smiled. "Somebody will be-" Falco found the song oddly familiar, it was secretly an Avion favourite "waiting for me, so- huh?" The singing stopped abruptly. "What the hell?" A few seconds of silence "No way, shit man get off the shipping lane! Rising Star to unidentified vessel, you're blocking a high speed cargo lane, MOVE! Shit, it aint moving, I aint never gunna stop in time!" Again the sounds of engines running on an emergency stop. "All hands brace for impact!!!" Again a few seconds silence "Shiiiit!" The voice grew panicked in expectation. Then there was a loud crash, a shriek and the recording cut off suddenly.

There was silence in the room. Falco swore in his head, high speed collisions were never nice. He wondered how much damage would have been done to the Behemoth, he knew the Cargo Carrier would have come off worse. At least for the poor pilot it would have been quick. Salty beside him looked especially alarmed, shocked. Falco guessed he'd never heard a dead man's last words before. Falco never could rid his mind of the sound of various pilots screams as they plummeted to their deaths or were consumed in flames. A numb part of Falco's mind, speaking a language he thought he'd long forgotten suddenly started to chirp. Falco tried to ignore it, suppress it, but the thought came through nonetheless... The pilot had been singing a Wanderer's song... his voice, the sound was familiar, though he spoke in Lylat, the way he had screamed.... Falco forced himself to think of something else. The pilot probably wasn't Avion, and even if he was it was unlikely to be anyone Falco knew. What did it mater anyway, like the other pilots in the other carrier he was dead, along with his crew, and Falco could do nothing for them.

"I don't have to tell anyone sitting in this room what I think caused this accident, although I still don't understand why" Pepper paused "Four Cargo Carriers have been lost in two weeks. We need to release a statement. One that will make it more difficult for the Behemoth to pick on our shipping."

"What sort of statement" Another Canite Vulpine, like Fox asked, though his fur was almost black. He hadn't spoken much in the conference.

"One that will keep Cargo Carriers from wandering off the well travelled paths, all these attacks have taken place down unfrequented routes. We have to get them to travel in groups, or not at all. Without causing panic"

"How do we do that?"

"You're propaganda minister! Make something up!" Pepper snarled "I don't care what, Pirates, rouge asteroids, escaped circus animals, anything, just ensure that there are no more of these _incidents_"

"y-yes sir" he stammered.

Falco was thoughtful and only half listened as the conversation went on to talk about how the recognisance missions were going to be carried out, and which squadrons would form the fleet. The conversation became gradually less formal as little teams formed and discussed their parts in the mission.

"It doesn't make sense" Falco mumbled to himself, so only Salty beside him could hear "If this thing's been built as a military power why risk early detection by doing pirating ops? Why throw away the element of surprise... surely they can't believe they're that invincible... Even I'm not that stupid" Falco paused "They must need something... something these Cargo Carriers have in plentiful supply" Falco looked up suddenly "Sir, what was the Rising Star hauling?" only after he spoke was he aware he'd broken in on a conversation. He cursed inwardly. _"You're not with Star Fox now Falco, remember that and keep your big yellow beak shut!" _Pepper and the other general went back to their conversation and ignored him. Falco wished a big hole would open up in the ground and swallow him, he was really pushing his luck.

"Food" Falco didn't even realise he was being addressed until Salty nudged him. Just General Pepper was talking to him now "What are you thinking Falco?"

Falco was startled that they were asking _his_ opinion.

"W-Well sir" he said uncertainly "This _Behemoth_ must need something from those Cargo Carriers... The Mary Rose was carrying food too wasn't it?"

"Yes..." Pepper paused "Of course! Clever boy! They must have a huge crew on that thing, they can hardly go to a base and stock up. Why not steal it? That ship is more than capable of raiding a few measly Cargo Carriers"

"That doesn't explain the lack of wreckage though" General Hughes said

"Maybe they took it into a hold to strip it, then they'll dump the Carrier somewhere else when they're done" Commander Alsair said.

"Yes, that would explain it" Pepper mused

Falco's mind however was running along a different track. Images flashed across his mind, things he hadn't noticed consciously before. The Behemoth seemed disjointed, almost as though it was made of...

"Scrap!"

"What?"

"What _are_ you talking about Lombardi?" The Lupine sneered.

Falco's mind was racing, he was having trouble keeping up with it, finally he managed to grab hold of his thoughts and put them into words.

"The Behemoth, its hull, was made of all different kinds of metal!" he paused trying to get his thoughts in a logical order, all of a sudden it seemed to make sense, to him if not to anyone else. "It must take a huge amount of resources to build something like that, waste not want not! Capture the Cargo Carriers and strip them of their armour, those Celadon Carriers have hull plating half a meter thick... why not pinch that too. That way they clean up after themselves, there's less evidence. That's something I've always been taught to do" Falco paused again "... and maybe that explains why it hasn't attacked... maybe they haven't finished it yet..." Falco's head started to spin "Ugh... the thought of that thing getting any bigger is terrifying"

He was suddenly aware that everyone in the room was staring at him. Pepper smiled.

"Well everyone, Lombardi here's just solved our mystery for us. I hope he has now proved his doubters wrong." Pepper's voice had an edge to it and he glanced faintly around the room at various people. Now Salty encouraged piped up.

"It would take a huge amount of resources to build a ship like that... no-one could source that amount of metal without someone getting suspicious..." Salty paused uncertain "Sir... this ship can't have been built entirely out of scrap on the move, the initial superstructure will have to have been built in a base... even that would have been a mammoth task requiring a huge amount of workers, equipment, not to mention components" Salty finally came to the point, though his voice couldn't mask his uncertainty "Its not the kind of thing you can hide... or even hope to accomplish without an enormous wallet... or the support of a _vast_ underground organisation..."

"The people who built this were organised" General Hughes mused.

"But there's nowhere in the Federation a ship like that could be built without us finding out!" A Vulgarian said, General Marvin, Shipping Control.

"Then maybe it wasn't built in the Federation" Falco offered.

There was an uneasy pause.

"_I've done it _againFalco thought.

"No, it can't have gotten across the border unnoticed, Condor Squadron would have picked it up." Commander Alsair objected.

"Condor Squadron can't be everywhere, the border is vast. It can't hope to pick up everything that comes through" Pepper soothed.

Falco knew that was true, Great Fox had crossed the border lots of times without ever being challenged.

"But something this size?"

"Even the Behemoth is nothing compared to the size of the border. It wouldn't have been that hard to get it through."

"Its the only option, something like this _cannot_ have been built in a Federation base. We are left with a more worrying problem. Who built this monster? There is definitely a group that is getting dangerously out of hand."

Falco felt that creeping sensation run up his spine, and a flash of a nightmare crossed his mind... he pushed it away. It was impossible, Fox had made sure of that.

"it doesn't have a bearing who built this thing, it wasn't us and that's all that matters" Pepper said. "It has to be stopped"

There were mumbles of agreement from around the room.

"Hughes, I want personnel profiles on your two guys on my desk in fifteen minutes. If they are fit for the mission the team will be assembled and formally briefed on the mission tomorrow at 10. Anything else?"

No-one spoke "meeting adjourned. Dismissed.

People around the room started to leave. Falco and Salty remained where they were. Now the meeting was over an odd sense of unreality spread through Falco. Had he agreed to be part of this mission or had he been volunteered? He sighed, he'd offered to help, and he supposed that meant whatever he was needed for.

"Ugh..." he groaned _"I've got a _bad_ feelin' about this one" _hethought and let his head rest in his hands.

"What's the matter Falco?" Salty asked. Falco looked up and smiled.

"Nothing, I have a headache that's all"

"Aw poor you" Salty said sympathetically.

Falco wasn't sure if he was serious or not "I think I'll live"

"Good"

Falco looked around the room, it was now mostly empty, aside from them, General Pepper and one other, to whom he was speaking. Then they finished the other saluted and left. General Pepper turned to them.

"Salty, would you begin modifying Falco's Arwing as soon as possible"

"I'll have someone start on it right away sir" he said meekly

"That's alright with you isn't it Falco, we can supply you with one from the fleet if you don't want yours changed"

"Nah, I don't like rentals, I've had that bird three years, I got her just how I like her"

"I'd better not break anything then" Salty said softly.

Falco laughed. "No, or Slippy will never let me hear the end of it"

"Goodnight Falco, Salty. I have lots to do"

"Err sir... about that..." Falco began

"oh yes... I promised you accommodation" Pepper turned to Salty "Salty you have a spare bunk in your room since Remir left don't you?"

Salty looked uncertainly at Falco before nodding.

"Then why don't you two share, you don't mind that do you Salty?

Salty frowned for a moment and Falco was sure that he probably did mind. Then to his relief he smiled.

"No sir" he winked at Falco and whispered "You'll have to turn a blind eye to the mess till I get a chance to tidy up"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that shall I?" Pepper chuckled. "Salty show Falco around and help him bring in his things" he said and started to walk off. That made Falco think of something so he went after him.

"Sir. Am I free to leave the base for a bit?"

Pepper turned back round.

"Of course Falco, you're not a prisoner here, just be back before 10"

Falco nodded and Pepper walked off. As Falco went back to Salty he heard Pepper call to him

"Don't get lost again Falco" Falco stopped dead, and felt his face get hot. Had Peppy told _everyone_ about that?

"You got lost?" Salty asked

"Yes..." Falco sighed self-consciously. Salty started to laugh. "They left me in a shop! By the time I realised they had gone they were miles away! No-one noticed I wasn't there" Falco pouted. "Fox and Peppy seem to have taken great pleasure in telling everyone possible about it and how I also seemed unable to read sign posts"

"This was in Corneria City right?"

"Yeah"

"Sign posting's crap, if you don't know your way around you're in trouble"

"That's what I said!... Looks like I'll need a guide then... fancy a run into the City Salt'?"

"What tonight?"

"Yeah, has to be tonight" Falco held out his arms "because I didn't bring much more than what I'm standing in. If I'm going to be here for a while I'm going to need to pick up a few things"

"You were in that much of a hurry to leave?"

"mm... Have you ever actually seen the size of an Arwing luggage compartment? I have one bag, and that's it, and I wasn't really thinking straight when I packed it... I brought all the wrong kind of things. One change of clothes isn't going to last me long."

Salty smiled "When you put it like that..."

"Come on then, I'll buy you a burger"

"Cool, anything's better than the stuff they feed you here!"

"Oh yeah... army food..." Falco shrugged "eh, can't be worse than Fox's cooking!"

Salty laughed at him. "So what's Fox really like?" he asked

Falco shrugged again "I dunno how to describe him"

"Well we got plenty of time for you to figure it out. You want to get the bus into town or have you got transport"

"Nope, have to be the bus"

"Well we'll have even more time then. Bus is about as reliable as a rusty spanner"

"We'll get a taxi then" Falco offered.

Salty looked worried. "Falco they don't pay me so good-"

Falco cut him off "That's alright, I'm paying. I can't stand the bus"

"Any particular reason?"

"Nah... just don't like it"

20 minutes later Falco and Salty arrived in Corneria City, where exactly Falco had no idea, but that was why he'd brought Salty along. Salty led him along a few side streets until they came out into a wide precinct.

"This is Corneria Grand" Salty said gesturing up the wide street "they say it's the ancient heart of the city, the city centre of Corneria's capital… before the whole planet became a city. They've redeveloped it a lot over the years. Especially since the Andross Wars, because its so close to the military base it got pretty flattened both times." Salty told him.

Falco looked up at the whitewashed buildings, mostly shops or restaurants. The Grand was straight and long slowly climbing uphill, in the distance Falco could see an ornate fountain glistening in the late sunshine. People of all species and ages milled about, most carrying shopping bags of varying sizes, none taking any particular notice of anyone else.

"Whatever you need, you should be able to find it here"

"Come on then" Falco said looking down on him.

They walked up the street. Falco was pleased most people seemed too consumed by their shopping lists to bother looking at the passers by. If anyone recognised him they weren't saying anything, talking to the public was more of a Fox thing. Falco spotted a clothes shop fairly quickly. It wasn't specifically selling Avion clothes but he hoped to get something that fitted.

_"I hate clothes shopping" _he thought to himself. Unless he found a specialist Avion supplier, and they were very rare off-world, it was virtually impossible to find trousers that fitted. They were either too short, too wide at the waste, or had no-where to put his tail. Most of the trousers were designed for Canites. Eventually however he found something, a little shorter than he would have liked but about as good as he could have hoped for. He stayed to his customary colours of dark greens, blues and khaki browns. He never wore black, except on combat. He didn't like to draw attention to himself with bright colours. That way people generally noticed Fox, before him.

Shirts and tops were generally less of a problem, he stuck to long ones to make sure they covered the base of his tail. These were generally plain white, or again dark colours. Finally he picked up the last few other things he thought he would need.

_"Why didn't I pack more clothes?" _Falco asked himself "Come on Salty lets get out- Salty… Where you gone?"

Falco looked around the shop. Unfortunately Salty wasn't tall enough for his head to be seen over the aisles. After a few moments searching Falco found him buying a new pair of trainers. Which was probably a good thing as the ones he was wearing looked to be nearly as old as he was.

"You ready?" Falco asked

"Yep" Salty said holding up blue and silver trainers

"Nice…" Falco commented.

At the till Falco paid with his biochip by inserting his hand into a reader. He groaned when he saw how much it had come to. Salty paid with cash as Falco watched. Very few people used cash now.

"Birthday present, had my sixteenth couple weeks back" Salty told him as they left the shop. Falco was startled, sixteen was too young for the Army surely… He smiled, that meant Salty wasn't much younger than him.

"My wages are crap, so I have to make things last" Salty said pointing down at his ancient trainers

"Mm it's Slippy's birthday commin' up, I'll have to get him something while I'm here"

Falco wasn't allowed to say how old they were, but Salty was actually a month or so Slippy's elder.

"I should be back from the Behemoth in time for it" Falco mused.

"You still haven't told me what Fox is like."

Falco sighed "Fox is kinda hard to describe…"

"Well try"

"Mm… it depends what sort of mood you catch him in. A lot of the time he's an argumentative git. Although… he can be sweet if it pleases him" Falco admitted "Mostly when he's after a girl… makes me wanna puke… ugh"

"I don't spose he would have to try too hard, most of the girls around here thinks he's great"

"Mm all that fame went to his head a little" Falco chuckled.

"I was wondering… coz you're not at all like what I was expecting"

"Really, how so?" Falco asked. Salty looked embarrassed.

"You're nicer than I thought you would be"

Falco laughed.

"Coz the press always made you out to be horrible. They make it seem like you're really arrogant and… don't care about anyone but yourself" Salty stammered out then looked up "Sorry"

Falco continued to smile "Do you think that's true?"

"No way!"

"Well then. Just ignore what the press say. I do"

"But it's not fair! You shouldn't let them say you're horrible"

"Even if I wanted them to stop Salt' there's nothing I can do about it. They like me as the Arrogant Avion. And it doesn't bother me anymore. I like it because it means most people leave me alone. I don't want people coming up to me in the street, I'd rather just be left to go on my way. Fox deals with the publicity. I _prefer_ to slide into the background."

"And let them say all those horrible things about you? Because you never say anything at the press conferences they make out that you're barely literate."

Falco laughed "I wiped the floor with Fox and Slippy academically"

"Really?"

"Yeah. The press kept that one quiet." Falco smiled "Fox and the others are just more social than me." Falco shrugged "May as well let them have the limelight if they want it" Falco paused "Slippy's kinda shy, and doesn't talk much either until you get him started on his mechanics. Then you have trouble getting him to stop. You'd like Slippy." Falco smiled softly.

"Well what's _he_ like"

"A lot like you really" Falco said as he led him into a supermarket "Totally obsessed with his mechanics. I don't know what he finds to do in the docking bay all day." Falco chuckled "And frankly I don't think I want to know!... He's smart, a little too smart if you ask me-"

"But you said you got better than him"

Falco shrugged "he's really smart, in places where tests can't reach, but he's dopey in the extreme, and his memory's terrible!"

"You're right, that does sound like me, the dopey and bad memory part anyway" Salty chuckled "Mechanics, we're all of the same mould it seems"

Falco picked up a bar of soap and mouthwash from the shelves.

"So… Peppy, what's he like?" Salty asked picking up a bottle of bright liquid from the fridge behind him. Falco felt himself smile.

"Peppy…" he mused also selecting a drink, something with less colourings in it "He's… I'm not sure…" Falco trailed off. "He's the adult… and everything that goes with that to us"

Salty nodded quietly and didn't look at him for a moment. Falco frowned at him.

"Not that he's overly mature." Falco grinned "Least not all the time. He'll arm wrestle with the rest of us when he's in the mood. He's definitely the brain of the group, and the… diplomat… so to speak." Falco chuckled to himself.

"Mm…" Salty said to himself.

"I'll take you to meet them, if you like."

"Really!"

"Yeah, Fox keeps telling me I should get out more… meet new people… etcetera, etcetera"

"Nice"

Falco grinned "I'll get that." He said taking Salty's drink off him.

"Hey!!" Falco paid for the stuff

"Too late" He said handing it back "Already paid for"

"But… you paid the taxi too!"

Falco smiled "I don't mind, I have huge savings left over from various missions, I don't get much of a chance to spend it, like Fox said, I don't get out much"

Salty didn't know how to answer that "But…"

"I also know how bad army wages are, Peppy used to complain about it!"

"But…"

"Don't worry about it Salty. I like spoiling my friends"

"Your friend?"

"Yep, unless you have some aversion to being my friend"

"No of course not"

"Good come on then, I could murder that burger… I missed lunch"

General Pepper looked up at the knock on his door.

"Enter"

General Hughes came into the room

"Ah Michael."

"I have those personnel files you wanted." he said handing them to him. Pepper read the names off the top. Blaze Jackson and Lupus Kelly

"I've heard of Jackson"

"Yes, he did some black ops for you a while back, he was the bombardier on the Whitestone Bridge op"

"Mm" Pepper mumbled and put the files down. "They should be ok. Good service history?"

"Both of them excellent"

"Yes. Good"

There was another knock at the door.

"Was there anything else Mike?"

"No"

"Enter"

Commanders Kramer and Alsair entered the office. Hughes remained where he was.

"We have been discussing the mission and would like to recommend a new addition to the strike team. If we're going to be relying on the cloak we need someone who can fix it in a hurry. Greenbank designed it didn't he?"

Pepper's heart sank.

"Yes."

"Then the logical choice would be him"

"Salty Greenbank is below combat op age-" Pepper began, worried.

"So's Lombardi" Kramer snarled "And has been for years"

"He's exempt, and you know it." Pepper said tersely, though now increasingly worried on two fronts.

"Then make Greenbank _exempt_" Kramer snarled

"I'm not prepared to do that. He has no specific training for this kind of operation."

"He's done basic arms training hasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Then he can top it up before they leave. If I'm going to commit 150 of my fighters to this I want to be assured that the cloak isn't going to break down mid op"

"What makes you think Greenbank will be able to do anything when the shuttle is in motion anyway?"

"He'll be able to do more than anyone we can train before the mission."

"But Greenbank's not trained, he'll just get in the way" Pepper tried.

"No he wont, he'll be an extra gun and another brain to sort out the bomb in case anything goes wrong with the special ops guys. It's easier to train Greenbank to fight than it is to teach someone what he does."

Pepper had a sinking feeling that there was nothing he could do to stop this.

"Alsair, Marvin, O'Connell and I agree that this is important. We're willing to take it to the highest level, and if we have to do that by the time we get a decision in our favour your little mechanic will be left with very little time to prepare. The very fact that you allowed him to attend that meeting made him part of this mission. He's a member of this Army so he must do as is needed"

Pepper didn't like the idea but conceded that they had a point. "Alright. Greenbank will accompany them, I'll inform him shortly"

"Inform him when you like."

"I'll tell my boys tonight, the basics so they no roughly what to expect."

"Yes, there will be a formal briefing tomorrow. The rumours of the Behemoth are already flying, I'm telling mine it's the Behemoth and giving them the personnel files but nothing else till tomorrow, if you tell yours make sure they know to keep their mouths shut."

Hughes nodded "They're special ops, we're always keeping secrets I'll do likewise and give them the personnel files though, its good for them to know who they'll be working with."

Pepper nodded "Anything else?"

No-one spoke. So they all took themselves away. Once they were gone Pepper felt his heart sink even further. They were going too far this time…

After the promised burger Falco and Salty wandered back down the Grand, watching the sun set in the western sky.

"I need to get Slippy's birthday present….Salty, what would you want for your birthday, if you could have anything in the world."

Salty sighed. "You couldn't buy me that, even with all your money"

Falco wondered if he'd just broken one of the Federation's unwritten rules.

"Ok, something I can buy here"

Salty smiled again "This is for Slippy right?"

"Yeah."

"Why you asking me, you know him better than I do"

"Yeah but the stuff he likes makes my head hurt. I don't even know what he uses half his tools for."

Salty giggled.

"If you like it, there's a good chance Slippy will too… it can't be worse than what I got him last year."

"And what was that?"

"A took kit and set of rubber duckies"

"Rubber duckies?"

"Yeah, in joke…" Falco laughed "Likes to swim, spends more time in the bath than the rest of us put together… Commando ducky in camouflage colours… desert, arctic, and the green brown one they use the rest of the time."

Salty laughed.

"It was a sort of joke, I always threatened I'd buy him some, I finally did"

Salty smiled "Follow me. I know just the place"

Salty led Falco down a few side streets until they came to a much smaller shop. Salty led him inside. A familiar smell greeted Falco, like a docking bay, engine oil, welded metal and ships in general. Falco stared around, it was an Aladdin's cave for mechanics. From floor to ceiling various glistening ship components lined the walls, some Falco recognised, others he didn't. They were all the kind that if they fell on you would break bones. Falco suddenly heard a noise, he turned to see a scale model of an Arwing flying towards him. He had to duck to avoid being hit in the head. Once he recovered form the shock he smiled.

"Cool!"

"I got one of those" Salty said then shouted "Hey Roy! Would you mind _not_ dive bombing Falco for a bit?"

"Hey Salty" A voice from behind one of the counters said. Then the source of the voice became clear. A short, burly Canite stood up grinning. Salty sidled up to the counter, followed by a still bemused Falco.

"This here's Falco, he wants a birthday present for a friend of his"

The Canite studied Falco for a moment before grinning.

"So my man, what kinda thing does your buddy like?"

"Well he likes all those remote control flight kits, but he's got most of them… and it seems silly buying him one of those when he makes them full scale anyway"

The Canite smiled and rubbed his chin

"I think I've got something that might suit. What about an A384 GoldenHawk kit"

"Oh! Does it have all the little SilverFalcons too?"

Judging by Salty's reaction that was a good thing

"Yeah, but they don't fly, what do you think I am Salty?"

Salty laughed. "You'd go nuts trying to put those together. How much?"

"For you and your friend… Mm… 150 Feds, I'll give you a discount coz the box is a little dirty. It's usually 175."

Salty looked at Falco.

"Err.. first off what is it?"

Salty smiled "Model with a difference, Slippy'll know what it is"

Falco blinked "Alright Salty, I'm trusting you, you wouldn't play a trick on me would you? I'm well aware I have no idea what I'm doing"

"Nope, I swear." He made a gesture crossing his heart. "If Slippy doesn't like it you can blame me"

"or bring it back and get summin else" The Canite offered

Falco nodded reassured "Alright then."

The Canite disappeared for a few moments, Salty went off around the shop poking at things with startlingly Slippyish curiosity. A few moments later the Canite came back with a plain white box stained with oily finger prints. Falco paid again by putting his hand in the biochip reader. That done he went to pick up the box and found it to be surprisingly heavy. He said thanks to the shopkeeper then went to leave.

"Come on Slippy, before you break summin" he called to the half hidden form behind a shelf. Salty followed him out of the shop.

"Bye Roy" he called.

As they walked Salty kept glancing up at Falco a wide grin on his face. Falco couldn't understand why. Finally he stopped.

"What the hell is so funny?" he asked.

"You called me "Slippy"!" Salty giggled

Falco felt his face get hot.

"Sorry" he stammered, embarrassed.

Salty shook his head "That's ok, actually I was kinda flattered!"

"What, by being compared to Slippy?" Falco laughed

Salty shrugged, it was his turn to go pink "He's a hero to a lot of us…"

"Really?" Falco said softly "I'll tell him that… I'm sure he'd be proud"

On the way back to pick up the taxi Falco picked up a newspaper and some bright yellow wrapping paper with blue balloons. He had a feeling he wouldn't have time to come back again in the next few weeks. They managed to flag a taxi back to the barracks surprisingly quickly.

As they entered the barracks a voice hailed them.

"Greenbank?"

Salty jumped and turned surprised to the guard on the door.

"Yes sir?"

"You're wanted in General Pepper's office immediately"

"Uh… Thank you sir"

Salty glanced worried at Falco as they walked off

"Do you think I'm in trouble? Surely he couldn't have expected me to have started on your Arwing yet! We're back way before curfew… Oh no…"

"Calm down Salty! He probably just wants some technical advice about the cloak or summin'"

Salty didn't look reassured, they walked the rest of the way in silence.

Salty knocked cautiously on the suddenly intimidating door.

"Come in" They heard him say. Slowly Salty opened the door. Pepper looked up at him wearily.

"Ah Salty" he said weakly.

"You wanted to see me sir?"

Pepper stood and gestured to offer him a seat, when he did so he noticed Falco waiting outside.

"Falco, you'd better come in too"

Surprised Falco entered the room. Salty flashed him a relieved glance. There was only one seat in the room so Salty took that and Falco stood slightly to his right.

"Salty, umm" General Pepper looked uncertainly to Falco. Falco couldn't help him, he was as confused as anything.

"Salty… its been decided that the strike team needs a mechanic that can work with the cloak…" Pepper paused, the colour was draining out of Salty's face. Falco looked openly alarmed and had folded his arms in a manner Peppy had always warned him about "We've decided you'd be the best person for the job…"

"Y-Yes sir…" Salty stammered. His hands trembling slightly.

"You will be accompanying Falco and the others in the shuttle and going with them while they set the bomb."

Salty felt as though he was going to be sick, sheer blind terror crept up on him and assaulted his soul. Pepper noticed Falco's eyes had gone dark, Peppy had warned him about that too.

"Y-Yessir" Was all he managed to stammer.

"Don't worry Salty, I'll be there to look after you" Falco tried to grin reassuringly at him.

"y-yeah…"

"I'm sorry to dump this on you like this Salty, but its only just been decided. I assure you, you will be fully trained before we let you leave."

"Yes sir" Salty said again, emptily.

There was silence, none knew what to say to the other.

"Salty, I left the bags outside, would you look after them for a sec? I need to talk to General Pepper about getting a message to Fox. Will you wait for me, there's no way I'll find my way to dormitories on my own, you know how I am with signposts!"

Salty smiled, just a little.

"Yeah ok…" Salty stood up and took himself out of the room. Falco waited for him to close the door behind him. Falco was about to speak but Pepper beat him to it.

"I don't like this any more than you do Falco but it's a necessary step."

Falco was a little taken aback. It took a moment for him to find the words.

"I like Salty, but he's _not_ a soldier! If we take him he's not only going to be a danger to himself, he could put the rest of the team at risk"

"He passed his basic weapons training-"

"Bullshit! You know as well as I do that doesn't count for anything. He's not cracked up for a combat missions, physically or mentally… He's a bigger threat than advantage, he'll get himself and possibly some of the rest killed. I need to be able to trust my life to every member of a team, I know he would do his best but frankly I don't think he would be able to do what's required." Falco would say anything so that he wouldn't have to go "He's serving you better in that docking bay, tinkering with his ships than he will being killed on the Behemoth" Falco's voice softened "And on a more personal level… I don't want to see him get hurt. "

"Neither do I. I've known Salty for some time. This wasn't specifically my decision, but I stand by it. You are free to give him any additional training you think he might need. There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind."

"What about if I break both his legs?" Falco asked.

Pepper's voice took on a powerful tone "I would have you up on charges for assault." Falco was about to say it would be worth it but Pepper again cut him off. "And the Behemoth would fall to Max, Salty's second, a much worse proposition I can assure you"

Falco went to object.

"Dismissed Lombardi" he snarled. Falco scowled down at him, then turned his back and walked out. He wanted to slam the door but didn't dare.

He made sure he composed his face before looking at Salty.

"Come on then Salt' which way?"

Salty looked round to Falco, nodded his head up the corridor and walked off. Falco followed him in silence, thinking to himself.

_"This is stupid…Salty's just a kid… Well I'm just a kid but that's besides the point. What the hell is Pepper doing?" _

"We're here" Salty said as he put his hand into the biochip reader on the door. It slid open "Excuse the mess!"

Falco looked into the room, it immediately felt well lived in, giving a homely feel, not dissimilar from his room back on Great Fox. Actually it was more like Slippy's room. Falco wandered inside. He was careful where he put his feet as he had to avoid stepping on various items strewn across the floor, most of these seemed to be small ship components, sweet wrappers or the occasional item of clothing. Even so Falco wouldn't have described Salty's room as being overly messy. Fox and Slippy's were both worse. The walls were adorned with schematics of various ships. His desk in the corner of the room was only just visible beneath piles of books, papers and a half finished model of a Javelin fighter. Salty began scurrying around the room, picking up his mess and hastily hiding it away. On the other side of the room there was a door, half open which promised to be a bathroom. Falco grinned to himself, Army barracks, here at least weren't so bad. He brought his stuff in and swung it onto the top bunk, the bottom bed obviously belonged to Salty. Falco grinned at the stuffed animal only just apparent above the ruffled covers. Falco set about making up his bed as Salty continued to clear away his things.

"Remir, left a few months back, I'm afraid I rather let the cleaning go since then. We were both mechanics, and believe it or not he was messier than I am." Salty chuckled.

"Don't worry Salt' I've seen much worse. My room back home wasn't exactly spotless. I could write my name in the dust on some of the shelves."

Salty laughed "Well don't look too hard, and for goodness sake don't open my side of the cupboard for a bit!.. unless you want to be knocked unconscious by falling objects."

Falco grinned from where he struggled with the sheets "Which side's that?"

"The left"

"Right I'll remember that. There gottcha!" Falco said to a defiant piece of sheet. Salty looked up at Falco.

"Got what?"

Falco smiled sheepishly "one of the sheets was trying to defy me. Its safely locked up under my mattress now"

Salty laughed "Are you sure you're all there Falco?"

"huh?"

"The Army make you take a psychiatric exam before they let you in for pilot training. Did you ever do one of those?"

"Nope, thank goodness"

"You think you'd have passed?"

"Nope" Falco said simply, smiling "I got more than a few screws loose in here" He tapped his head. "I fit right in on Great Fox… in a weird twisted kinda way"

Salty laughed though it sounded forced.

"Falco… I… don't think I can do this" He stammered weakly.

Falco paused and looked up.

"I've never been on a combat mission… I've never killed anyone before. I… don't want to. Shooting on the ranges is different to how it is when its real ammunition and real living people…"

Falco sighed deeply, remembering his own past, inwardly cursing the people who had volunteered Salty for this.

"I… I've built weapons… designed ships… but that's different… its never been my finger that squeezed the trigger before. I don't _want _to fight. That's why I'm a mechanic"

Falco frowned "Why be an Army mechanic then, why not just work for an engineering company?"

"I had no choice" Salty said a little bitterly.

"Why not?"

Salty sighed sadly and sank onto his bed. Falco turned to him and leant his head and arms against the top bunk.

"It's a long story" Salty mumbled.

Falco smiled and climbed up into his bunk "I'm not going anywhere. I've got plenty of time if you feel like elaborating. You tell me your story and… I'll tell you… some of mine."

Salty sighed "I'd like to hear yours… I'm scared Falco. I'm not cracked up to be a soldier… like you…"

Falco broke in "None of us are born warriors Salty. Life just seems to make us that way. Understand that. I hate killing people _and_ I hate fighting"

"But it's what you do"

"That doesn't mean I have to like it. Someone has to do what we do or there would be no-one to stand in bastards like Andross' way. We do what has to be done and _nothing_ more."

Salty was silent. He couldn't be sure if he had somehow offended Falco. Falco sighed, his voice softened

"I was _very_ young on my fist combat mission… Flying an Arwing and dropping bombs and shooting down fighters is so impersonal… its easy to forget it's people you're killing…" Falco sighed. "The first time I shot someone…" he was glad Salty couldn't see his face "I was… in truth it was an accident. It should never have happened, not then, not alone. I was running with the team… but we got separated. It was in some base. I got cornered by a guard. He thought I was just one of the staff's kids until he spotted my gun… next thing I knew I was boxed into a corner staring down the barrel of an enormous rifle…" Falco's voice broke a little "I just squeezed the trigger… and… that was it. I'd killed a man. Face to face… By the time the rest got back to me I was a _little_ bit of a wreck… we got out the rest of the way cleanly pretty much. Peppy and maybe Fox pulled the rest of the shots. I don't remember much about it. It's just a kind of blur to me…" Falco sighed "After that… It got easier. It sounds terrible… but… it was them or me, I let them get me and they would slaughter the innocent civilians I was trying to protect. Kill or be killed. That's what it came down to in the end. Sometimes in life we… sometimes…" Falco trailed off… "I still get scared… the day I stop being afraid or don't regret the blood I've shed is the day I hang up my wings. What I do I do to save life. Not destroy it. That's what the Behemoth's about. If we let it carry on it'll wipe out our military and then the civilian population would have nothing to protect it. Wives, mothers, babies, children, brothers, sisters, sons… innocents…"

Salty was quiet. Falco sighed wishing he could help Salty more, Peppy had always been better at this kind of thing. Falco sighed thoughtfully.

"I said I'd tell you some of my story… what did you want to hear?"

"Err… I dunno… start at the beginning…"

Falco laughed "That would be the logical place… Salty listen… I can't tell you all of it…" Falco trailed off.

"That would take too long" Salty said more lightly

"Yeah… yeah it would… Ok… the beginning.

"I was born on Avion, like most of my kind. Malcapay City, its on the southern coast of the northern continent. Um… My mama was Silvia O'Shay, before she married father and… he was Mark Lombardi. He was a lawyer. My mama never worked, father made enough money for her not to have to. We lived in a big house in the posh suburbs of the city. Thoroughly middle-class. My granddad was the source of my love of Arwings and the sky, though I think I would have been a Wanderer anyway." Falco sighed "He was killed in the battle of San Tidi, during the first Andross war… never even hit the ground. I really miss him, part of me died with him. My life went steadily down hill from there. I became a Wanderer. I wont go into the politics, but basically anyone who shows any inclination towards "bird like" ways is treated as a freak. That includes wanting to be a pilot." Falco sighed and suppressed a shudder. "some things went wrong in my family… and trust me when things went wrong in the Lombardi household they went _spectacularly _wrong." Falco fought the memories and carried on "my mother was afraid of what would become of me if I ended up a Wanderer… and was forced to live the life that led there… she wrote to Peppy… and he took me on. Star Fox was the best of a lot of bad options. And as its turned out it was a good move. I left Avion… and I've never looked back. The Star Fox team became my fam- Star Fox became my life and that was ok by me." Falco sighed again "Anything was better than Avion"

"What was so wrong with Avion?"

"It wasn't Avion… as such… it was the people… the culture… my family… I was seen as a weirdo, even by them. That doesn't make for easy relations"

"But aren't families supposed to stick together no-matter what?"

Falco felt anger surge through him, but not at Salty.

"Well mine didn't" he said harshly. Remembering back to the nightmare that had been the last few months with them. Peppy had had no idea what he was saving him from.

"I wouldn't know" Salty said sadly.

Falco snapped out of his thoughts somewhat gratefully.

"Huh?"

Salty sighed deeply "I don't have a family to speak of. When I was 2 I lived in Corneria City with my parents and older sister… These are turbulent times we live in… There was a terrorist bombing. My house… wasn't the target, but I guess we had the wrong kind of neighbours. A bomb was blown in one of the houses, next door or one or two along… They killed their target outright, and his family, it was some diplomat or something… there was a fire… I was just a baby… I was in the back bedroom. By the time the fire fighters arrived my house was ablaze. They did their best but I was the only one they could save…" Salty sniffed "The Army was blamed for what happened so I became their responsibility. After that I got passed around Army funded orphanages and foster carers. Until they discovered my gift for mechanics, some strings were pulled and I was given early entry into the Army RD training school. I was fully trained, basic weapons and all, working by the time I was twelve. Since I joined I've lived here, in this room. That's why its half decent, because its my permanent residence." Salty stopped and sighed "I don't even remember them… all I have is Smokey… this" Falco jumped when a stuffed rabbit appeared at the side of his bunk, held up by Salty's grey-brown hand. "Apparently I was hanging onto him when the fire fighters found me… you can see how close it came, his ears are all scorched."

Falco took the toy from Salty. Its ears were singed slightly, the toy had a look of well loved age to it. Its sapphire eyes gazed brightly at Falco, he found its inane smile oddly comforting. Grinning he toyed with its long ears before handing it back.

"I used to have stuffed animals… my favourite was a dog, oddly enough, Scrappy I think I used to call him… summin like that, coz he looked like a stray mongrel… He was brown with a really soft coat, ears that flopped over at the tips and his tongue hanging out. He always looked so… happy…" Such a contrast to how Falco had felt when he curled against him for comfort, to ease his pain… just a little.

"Do you still have him?"

"Somewhere…" he'd never been able to get rid of all the blood…

"I suppose you think I'm a baby for having stuffed animals"

"Nope, we all have things like that. I only put Scrappy away because Fox laughed at me"

"That's mean. Doesn't Fox have anything like that?"

Falco sighed "He has his pictures of his mum and dad. I don't care for that kind of thing."

"So what do you have? If you don't mind me asking."

"I've got lots of things" Falco thought back "old toys, photos, school books- though not many of those, school wasn't really much fun. A few of my sweetheart's feathers… That kind of thing. I even kept a toy Arwing Fox gave me on the day we met. That's one of my favourites…"

"I don't understand how you see Fox, Falco. One minute you say he's being mean to you, the other your talking about keeping something to remember him by… I don't understand."

"We have kind of a love-hate relationship. We fight, _a lot_, but when it's come down to it… we've always been able to rely on one another. That's what being part of a team is all about. Most of the time though he's a complete git, to me anyway."

"Is he the reason you left?"

Falco was silent for a moment.

"You don't have to answer that" Salty added suddenly

"No, he wasn't. I just needed out for a while. I was going to call and all that… but I've gotten wrapped up in something I wasn't expecting. The Behemoth has rather screwed up my plans. I was intending to have a holiday for a while… you know a week or so of peace… see the sights… leave my blaster at home for a bit" Falco said a little bitterly. "That not going to happen now"

"You volunteered for this mission though didn't you?"

Falco sighed "What was I supposed to do, just pretend I never saw the Behemoth? No way, my conscience would never let me…" Falco yawned "My holiday can wait, finish the Behemoth first. I'm just worried about whether Peppy will be able to restrain the urge to ring my scrawny birdie neck when I go back"

"Why would he do that"

"I can't tell him I'm here, so he'll be well pissed off with me by the time we've done this. A week or 2 without any contact at all is _way _out a line"

yawning again Falco jumped off the bunk.

"I really need a shower" he mumbled and wandered away.

Falco explored the bathroom. For an Army barrack it was surprisingly luxurious. It was simple clean and effective, without feeling overly utilitarian. Salty didn't know how lucky he was.

A while later Falco remerged from the bathroom dressed in pyjamas, rubbing his head with a towel, thinking how much he hated being covered in feathers at times. Salty, also dressed in pyjamas was sat on the side of his bed reading something. He looked up as Falco approached. Salty eyed his strange Avion features, most notably his bright yellow feet. As he studied them he noticed something that didn't seem quite right.

"What happened to your foot?"

Falco looked down, expecting to see a cut or something. Instead he saw nothing unusual.

"What?"

"Well… that's not normal is it? I mean…" Salty trailed off, uncertain. Falco suddenly realised what he meant.

"Oh right my toe… no that's not normal" Falco laughed

"Old war wound?" Salty asked. He was surprised when Falco only responded with hysterical laughter. Salty turned to frown at him. Falco managed to answer through giggles.

"No… that's why it's funny." Falco was still laughing "It happened just after Andross…. I think it's ironic, even if no-one else does. The toxic wastes of Zoness, the baking heat of Solar, several hundred tanks, Arwings and ground troops down the line and I get through all that with cuts and bruises. We go on holiday a few weeks later and I end up having my toe surgically removed. And you wanna know why?"

Salty just looked at him, bemused.

"Because I decide to get on the wrong side of a horse!"

"A horse?" Salty said sceptically.

"Yep! It reared up, and decided my foot looked like a soft place to land. Hurt like hell."

"ouch!"

"Yeah, my foot was in more pieces than an Arwing that's flown into a wall, and before you ask, yes, I have seen that! Thanks to Foxy"

Still laughing he climbed up to the top bunk.

"I wont ask. Hey Falco Pepper dropped off the personnel files while you were in the shower"

"Really? Oh are these them?" Falco asked picking up a pack of files from his bed

"Yeah"

Sitting with his legs dangling over the side of the bunk he opened the first file- Blaze Jackson. He scanned the page, this guy had an impressive service history, a munitions expert by the look of things, member of special ops. Smart strong and clever. He couldn't bring himself to read the whole file, let alone anyone else's, the words were beginning to blur on the page. Briefly he looked at the others, to put faces to names, at the very least he needed to have some idea as to who was who. That done and yawning again he spoke.

"What time is it Salty?"

"11 local time…err… I don't know on space time"

Falco yawned again. "Its been a long day. I was up early this morning and didn't sleep particularly well last night… right now I'm feeling fairly wrecked" he reached down to put the personnel files on the bedside table.

"I'm turning in now too" Salty said. "Goodnight Falco-hope you don't snore"

"Nope, I don't _snore_! Goodnight"

Falco could hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Rain pelted down on him. So heavily it stung his skin. Wind howled in his ears, like wolves on the hunt. He stared down the street, light from one of the few working streetlamps lit up the rain, so he could see the drops of water falling sideways continually. The water dripped off him, sinking into his badly fitting clothes. Jedd standing beside him was no better. He looked up at him, waiting for him to decide what to do. There was a flash. Falco suddenly stared into an unfamiliar Avion face, his mouth moved as though he was speaking but Falco heard no words. There was another flash, Falco was running, being chased by dogs. Then the dogs turned to men, carrying guns, hounding him, shooting at him. Now just for a brief moment he ran through corridors, then he was back on the streets, a Canite girl was suddenly running beside him. She ran faster than him, his legs seemed to be made of lead, as though all his strength was draining away. She ran forward into the storm and disappeared. Falco felt something ahead, a looming presence, the storm blinded him to it until it was too late. _Him! _Falco skidded to stop, his legs went from under him and he fell to the floor. _He_ came closer, seeming to grow incredibly. Falco shuffled back through the rain water.

"No, no you're dead… get away from me! Get away form me!"

Falco was boxed in a corner, like he was in a prison cell. _He_ came closer, Falco couldn't run any more, _He_ took hold of him by the neck, lifted him up as though he was just a rag-doll and started to squeeze.

"No! let me go! let me go!" he croaked. Falco felt his neck break, just before everything went black.

Salty listened to Falco's cryptic mumblings, after reaching a frenzied crescendo he had fallen silent again. Wishing he would snore instead Salty drifted away again…

The bleeping of an alarm woke Falco from his slumbers. He was laid face down with his face buried in his pillow one arm wrapped over his head the other stretched out straight above him. For a moment he thought he was dreaming, then he realised he wasn't.

"No… its too early" he mumbled wearily.

"Wha!" Salty below him jumped "heck Falco I forgot about you. You gave me a fright" Salty said, way to cheerfully for the time of the morning.

"Ugh… what time is it?" Falco asked rolling onto his back

"8:30"

Falco groaned, it felt like much earlier. He was normally a morning person, for a teenager anyway. Today he felt was going to be an off day. He groaned again and wrapped the blankets round him.

"Do you always talk in your sleep?" Salty asked yawning. Falco felt his face get hot.

"Apparently… what did I say?"

"Dunno, couldn't understand a word of it"

Falco sighed in relief "Makes me grateful Lylat's me second language… I was probably speakin' Avion again. I thought I'd forgotten it till I came out with some halfway through a combat op. Scared the life out of the others I think." Falco grinned.

"Yeah… It sounded like a funny language… like… I dunno… squawky…" Salty paused "You kept sayin' the same thing over and over… did you have a nightmare or summin?"

Falco shrugged, though Salty couldn't see him.

"Dunno, can't remember"

That was a lie, he remembered every detail vividly, as though it had all actually happened. Well some of it had, he had been on the streets with Jedd in a thunderstorm, he'd been chased by dogs… but the Canite girl… Falco had never seen her before…and then… _He_ turned up… It felt like a premonition, he'd had them once or twice… but that was impossible…

Falco listened as Salty got up. Falco lay soaking up the warmth from the bed, wishing helplessly that he could have a long lie in. This had been meant to be a holiday, at least back on Great Fox he didn't have to get up at a set time. This morning particularly he felt exhausted. His very soul felt tired, drained, weary. He felt more tired than he had before he'd gone to sleep. His eyes grew heavy again as he lay there.

"Don't for get we have to meet the rest of the team at 10" Salty said, Falco roused from his slumbers somewhat unwillingly.

"Aww… I wanna sleep…"

"The saying about the early bird aint true then?" Salty chuckled.

"eh?" Falco mumbled sleepily

"Never mind" Salty wandered off to the bathroom with his toothbrush

"Falco aren't you up yet!" Salty shouted. Falco leapt awake again. "_Come on, _if you want any breakfast you had better get up"

Groaning Falco forced himself to sit up. As he sat rubbing his face he mused to himself.

_"This aint like me. Fox is the one for bad mornings. Why the hell am I so tired?" _Falco yawned, shook his head and jumped off the side of the bed. He walked into the bathroom and promptly dunked his head in a sink full of cold water.

"Argh! Cold!"

Slightly more awake Falco dressed and got ready to leave.

By the time Salty showed him to the canteen he was yawning again. His eyelids felt as though they had bricks tied to them. His whole body felt weary for a reason Falco couldn't quite comprehend. Breakfast was quiet and uneventful, mainly because Falco wasn't in the mood for talking.

Once they had finished Salty showed Falco to a room.

"I have to go see Max, get him started on your Arwing, the strike team are being assembled in there. I'll be back later." Salty trotted off before Falco could make his mouth work to say anything. Falco let himself into the room. What he found was a conference room similar to the one the generals had met in the previous day. It was of a similar size, though the central table was smaller however and the room was much more airy. There were several large windows in the room, which Falco set about opening. One of these gave a surprisingly good view of the base. He looked down on an airstrip where the training fighters were housed, two-seat Arwings, Javelins and a few FireFoxs. Falco could just see a few of these in the distance, flying a training course, the early light glistening off their wings. The sun hung pale yellow and seemingly wet in yet another cloudless sky. The air that blew in the windows was fresh and surprisingly clean considering they were in the middle of a city. In the distance, beyond the Arwing's training grounds Falco could see the tall skyscrapers that covered much of the planet. As he gazed out the window he heard the door handle turn.

Lombardi was not at all what she had expected, he was too young. He stood looking out the window at the base. He turned to look at her as she approached, he smiled, a strange smile, his yellow beak didn't seem to move much, yet she could still tell he was smiling. His eyes, golden yellow, piercing, but in a kind way. Eyes that had seen more war and death than they would have liked, but so had all in the Federation these times. He was a little taller than her, thin, but she'd been told most Avions were like that. She was intrigued, she'd never met an Avion before, his royal blue feathers flicked softly across his head, so unlike her fur, standing up in a pointed crest at the back of his head. But the most prominent features on his face were by far his eyes, marked around by a splash of vivid red… he held out his feathered hand for her to shake. ****

For a Canite Silver was very pretty. Falco could see where she had gotten her name, for her fur was silvery grey, with the faintest hints of blue and black in places. She was slim, but not skinny, well built Falco thought, not like the stupid supermodels who looked like they hadn't seen a proper meal in their lives. Her clothes were modest, though not hiding her feminine figure. She walked with an air of authority, but not arrogance. Like her fur her eyes were a silvery blue, with a sharply intelligent look to them. She came forward to shake Falco's hand. As she reached out to him Falco noticed the only piece of adornment she seemed to be wearing, a thin solid silver bracelet around her right wrist. She smiled up at Falco.

"Nice to meet you" Falco said. His accent and voice were strange, not like a Canite's anyway. His voice surprisingly soft. Silver nodded her head and responded.

"And you."

Falco let go of her hand thoughtfully and turned to look back out the window briefly then turned round fully to face her.

"So what was the Behemoth really like?" She asked. Falco paused thoughtfully

"They got the name right that's all I can say…" Falco smiled "That's about all I noticed, I was too busy worrying about how badly I was going to get my ass kicked if they spotted me"

His response surprised her. He didn't seem to be at all what she'd expected, what the press had led her to believe he would be like. Again as she looked into his eyes she was struck by how young he seemed in person.

"So how come you ended up here without Star Fox?" Falco turned and looked back out the window at that question and didn't face her when he responded.

"I decided a break was in order… It just seems I have very bad timing…" He turned back to her, a grin spreading across his face "there I was flying along, minding my own business and there's this whopping great ship sitting in my way. After I saw it I didn't know where else to go… So I came here"

Silver thought she heard a note of sadness in his voice, quickly smothered, but she couldn't be sure. Silver looked him up and down and decided to forget all her preconceptions of what Falco would be go. Her fears as to what it would be like working with a mercenary, especially this one, could be put aside, Falco was not what she had though he would be.

"Hey Falco, I have to go back to my room for some things, I was just coming back from breakfast and thought I would pop in and see if anyone was here yet. I'll see you in a couple of minutes ok?"

"Aww was it summin I said?" Falco asked grinning.

Shaking her head Silver let herself back out of the room.

Falco turned back to the window again. His first thoughts on Silver were, oddly enough that Fox would like her. He laughed quietly. Fox liked just about anything female. That thought made him laugh all the more, then grimace as all the wrong images crossed his mind.

"Eww!" he mumbled to himself as he heard the door open again.

Falco was startled when he first saw Tyson, the Canite pilot, but that he lacked the blaze of white fur down the middle of his head he could have been a slimmer Fox. His fur had more red in it and his brush tail was a little finer, as though it was only just growing back. His eyes were more yellow than Fox's familiar warm brown, and held a much harder look. From his manner Falco immediately saw a strange familiarity. He held himself in a way that said, "leave me alone and I'll let you live". That was a lesson Falco had been forced to learn the hard way, and it was that that had given rise to his arrogant appearance. Falco had been able to mostly let go of _that _persona after living and working with Star Fox for so long, Tyson obviously hadn't been afforded that luxury.

"Hello?" Falco said tentatively.

Tyson turned an appraising eye to him and looked Falco up and down. Not bothering to hide a scowl.

"You're Lombardi?"

"Oh yeah we got a smart one here!" Falco said sarcastically.

Incredibly Tyson's scowl deepened. "Mm, idiot just like I thought"

Tyson turned and walked off. Falco decided to let him go. He'd taken worse insults.

"Ignore him" a cheerful new voice said. "He was the same to us"

Falco turned his attention to the Canite Lupine addressing him. He was of medium build, his wolfish features sharper than Fox's, his fur grey, plain aside from black tips to his ears muzzle and tail; lacking the glamour of Silver's coat. His eyes burned a bright orange-yellow and had mischief dancing in them. The faintest hints of teeth were apparent either side of his dark muzzle.

"Hi, I'm Lupus and this here is Blaze!" he said

Falco went over to them and shook Lupus's outstretched hand, then he turned to Blaze.

"I'm Blaze Jackson, you name it, I've blown it up!"

"I read your profile, I'm inclined to believe it"

Falco smiled at Blaze. He was easily the largest in the room. Standing taller than even an adult Avion. His shoulders were abnormally broad, though only just out of proportion to his height. He was undoubtedly the oldest of the group Falco realised, although he wouldn't have liked to have guessed at his age, however he suspected that Blaze would be the only one into his twenties. Falco found that made him a little uncomfortable. Falco could see where he had gotten his name. A bright white blaze streaked down the centre of his otherwise black head. His eyes were small and brown and just a little shrewd.

"Well Blaze I think you got competition, Falco's seen his share of explosive situations" Lupus chuckled.

"Oh man that's bad, even for you" Blaze said. His voice deep and rumbling to match his size

"I know!"

Falco shook his head smiling, these two would be a welcome change from Tyson, when Falco looked back to him he was staring moodily out of the window, ignoring the rest of the room's occupants. At that moment Salty and Silver joined them in the room. Tyson perked up visibly when he saw Silver and immediately left his lonely spot in the corner to greet her.

"Hey beautiful!"

Silver stared at him then blushed slightly.

_"Oh god it _is_ Fox"_

"If Tyson would kindly put his tongue back _in_ his mouth I'd like to meet our new members" Lupus said

Silver laughed and turned to Lupus. Lupus ignored the deadly look Tyson was giving him.

"Silver Allret, the shuttle pilot" She said smiling warmly.

"MmLupus Kelly" he pointed at Blaze "Blaze Jackson"

"Nice to meet you"

Falco suddenly noticed another presence, briefly he glanced over his shoulder.

"The shy bunny behind me is Salty, the mechanic" Falco said.

"Hi…" Salty said cautiously, very aware that everyone in the room was bigger than him. Even Silver.

"Hiya Salty!" Lupus called "Come on don't be shy! We don't bite… Well Blaze does…"

"No I don't!"

Salty laughed and stepped into the group more, though he stayed close to Falco's side. Falco noticed Blaze and Lupus exchange a nervous glance. Tyson looked openly repulsed.

"So Falco… tell us about the Behemoth… is it really as big as they say?" Lupus asked.

"Depends how big they say it is"

"They say it's twenty times the size of a Celadon Cargo Carrier"

"Mm that'd be about right" Falco mused.

"But that's enormous!" Lupus shouted… "Ouch that makes my head hurt"

"Mine too"

"Oh great they're all idiots" Tyson mumbled.

"What _is_ your problem?" Lupus growled.

"Just ignore him" Blaze soothed "If he can't say anything constructive"

"The conversation isn't exactly riveting, or particularly intelligent" Tyson snarled

"Oh give it a rest Fo-Tyson" Falco said, only just catching himself.

"Why should I listen to you _birdie_?"

"Is that a racist remark Khan?" Lupus growled

Tyson made a face grunted and walked away. Falco blinked confused by the exchange. He'd never thought of those kind of remarks as racist before and didn't care to.

"Khan's obviously an asshole, ignore him" Lupus said grinning.

Just then General Pepper walked into the room. Silver, Blaze and Lupus saluted, Tyson wasn't paying attention so missed the opportunity. Falco spotted Pepper's eyes, just slightly irritated on him.

The seven of them sat down around the table. General Pepper detailed the mission to them, although Falco noted he played down the most risky parts, so as not to draw their attention to them. Falco soon realised that he and Pepper would be the only ones to know how dangerous this mission would be. Salty too young and inexperienced would not understand the risks, the rest were not being well informed. Falco found himself getting more and more nervous, this was _not_ how he was used to doing things. Falco sighed wearily and tried to assure himself that this was normal Army procedure… "Some things its better they don't know" Pepper had once said. Falco agreed with him to a point but he couldn't shake the sensation that this was taking it a _little_ too far.

Once the briefing was over, it didn't take nearly as long as the one the day before Pepper gave the team a training schedule then dismissed them. As Falco stood up with Salty Pepper gestured for him to remain behind. Falco's feeling of foreboding increased immeasurably and for just a moment he felt physically sick. Then as quickly as the feeling had arisen it passed again. Pepper waited for the room to empty before turning his attention to Falco and speaking.

"So what do you think of them Falco?" General Pepper asked.

"They're young for the army…" Falco said, startled by the question, unable to think of anything else.

"Mm…" Pepper mumbled in agreement and seemed lost in thought for a moment "They haven't seen that much combat between them. Blaze has seen quite a few missions, but he's far from a veteran. Tyson and Lupus have seen a few missions and Silver's done some hairy shuttle ops but Salty's never been on combat before. None of them have as much experience as I would like…" Pepper paused again thoughtfully "They need a leader Falco. I was going to have Tyson do it but he's a pilot and hasn't seen many strike missions, and frankly his attitude sucks…"

Falco turned suddenly alarmed to look at him.

"You on the other hand have seen ground and air missions, and have repeatedly proven yourself to be able to improvise in the worst circumstances…"

Falco stared at him his beak hanging slightly open. Finally he got his voice to respond.

"You must be kidding! I've got about as much command experience as the average tree!! The only one I outranked was Slippy, and you know that's not saying much"

"Who else do you suggest Falco, they all seem to respect you…"

"Not Tyson"

"Tyson doesn't respect anyone. He only looks after himself, just like all the street kids"

_"Not _all_ of us apparently" _Falco thought to himself and smiled, if only Pepper knew.

"You've been doing this for years longer than them Falco, even Blaze"

Falco frowned.

"I've never led anything sir, I think Blaze or Lupus would be better bets"

"You led the fleet against the Trigean uprising"

"Only because I didn't have any choice! I just… fell into that… it was never intentional, how was I to know Fox and Peppy would both get shot up in the first three minutes"

"You took it in your stride though…"

"All I did was relay the command instructions to the squadron leaders. Slippy could have done that standing on his head juggling eels"

Pepper chucked. "You do both yours and Slippy's talents down Falco, although I _would_ like to see Slippy try that…"

Falco smiled "Oh I know Slippy's smart, I'd have been cooked, drowned and flash fried hundreds of times without his adaptations to the Arwings and his help in combat…" Falco trailed off "But if Fox was here you'd be saying this to him"

Pepper chuckled

"Fox would have taken the job without ever doubting himself, but yes, I wouldn't interrupt your usual chain of command. But Fox isn't here, and he isn't going to be."

"There was a reason I wasn't in command"

"Yes, Fox was following his father and Peppy was the oldest. You're good at your job Falco"

"But Fox was always in command! I wasn't even second."

"So?"

"I have no experience!"

"Neither do _they_ Falco."

"Then why are you sending them?"

"Personnel selection is not your business Falco."

Falco was cut short by those words and he was left with the strongest impression Pepper was hiding something.

"It's just up to you to mould the six of you into a team"

"Huh, you need Peppy for that. I'm no good at team building, I'm the _"Arrogant Avion" _remember"

"Falco anyone who actually knows you knows that's not true." Pepper paused "Falco I want someone in charge I trust and can rely on"

Falco made a face.

"I'm not going to order you to do it. I consider you to be a friend, so I'm not going to force you, but I do think you're the best person. Blaze will be second under you."

Falco turned away thoughtfully, rubbing wearily at his eyes.

"Alright… I'll do it" He sighed, again feeling as though Pepper had pushed him into a corner.

"Good. I'll make the arrangements…" Pepper paused "Thank you Falco" He said sincerely "You can go now, you have weapons training this afternoon, don't be late."

"No sir" Falco mumbled and walked out the door.

He nearly fell over Salty and Silver waiting outside.

"What was all that about?" Salty asked.

Falco blinked, wondering if it had actually happened, wondering what he had let himself in for.

"Err…" Falco mumbled unsure how to tell them "Pepper and I just had to have a little chat… seems there was an opening for commander of the strike team" Falco sighed "Guess who got the job"

Salty smiled "Cool! Congrats Falc'!"

Salty seemed to think it was a good thing. Falco turned to Silver for an opinion. She smiled at him, a smile that was reassuring.

"Seems like the logical choice. Come on Lupus and Blaze are waiting for us in the meeting room"

Still wondering if it was all a dream he would wake up form Falco followed them down the corridors.

They led him into a large room. It was plain, white walls white ceilings, the kind of place that would drive even the most normal person nuts. About the room there were various styles decaying chairs, all in shades of vomit. People clustered in small groups round about. Falco spotted Blaze and Lupus in a corner. Following Salty and Silver he went over.

"So Falco what did Pepper want to talk to you about?" Blaze asked

"Um…"

"Falco got command" Silver answered for him

To Falco's immense surprise Lupus and Blaze exchanged expressions of glee.

"That'll show his arrogant ass!" Lupus cried.

"Yeah!"

"What?" Falco asked, remaining standing while Salty and Silver sat.

"Tyson will be pissed!" Lupus laughed "If its going in seniority you'll get second as well Blaze"

"Yeah he did" Falco commented

"Really?"

"Ah yes this'll annoy the hell out of him!"

"What will!?" Falco asked again.

"You being in charge"

"Why?" Falco asked, finally sitting down

"Because Tyson's an arrogant asshole. He thinks he should be in command" Lupus snorted "He thinks he's better than you"

Falco put his head on one side "Maybe he is"

"Oh please, he's only been qualified 2 years. And my granny's seen more ground missions than him!"

"Really I didn't know your old grand-mama was in the army"

"She's not idiot! It's an expression"

"Ah an ex-press-ion…" Blaze mocked

"Where is Tyson anyway?" Falco asked

"Don't know, don't care"

"Probably gone to see his old gang. We got a few hours off, were not booked into the ranges till this afternoon, for now we're supposed to _socialise_"

"Someone needs to tell Tyson that"

"He was in a gang?" Salty asked.

"Some street pack. The army picked him up a while back-"

"Tyson was a StreetRunner? He got from there up to being a pilot, wow, he can't be all that bad" Falco said genuinely impressed. He was looking at what his own life could have been without Star Fox, if he'd been lucky… very lucky.

"Are we talking about the _same _Tyson?" Lupus asked

"Well anyone who can manage that has my respect" Falco said

"What did you call it… Street what?" Silver asked

"Runner" Falco answered "I suppose it's an Avion expression. Don't you use it here?"

"Not that I've heard"

"Me neither"

Falco shrugged "There were lots of them where I grew up. So it was a phrase I heard a lot" not least because he'd been one of them "That was the nicest thing they called them anyway"

The morning passed slowly, the team started to get to know one another, as was important if they were to work well together. Tyson remained absent until late and only arrived 10 minutes before they were due to be at the firing range. Falco stared at him, with a sick familiarity, he would have fitted in well back with Altayu and Jedd, Falco again saw himself in Tyson; how things could have been. Falco had been glad to put that life behind him and worked to forget it, Tyson it seemed was unwilling to let go. Falco was far from proud of some of the things he'd done…

Falco followed the rest to the firing ranges. He watched as Blaze, Lupus and the rest selected booths.

"What's the biochip reader for?" Falco asked

"It logs you in, so the computer will keep your score" Blaze told him

Falco put his hand in the reader. His name flashed up on the screen, along with an Army serial number.

"Lombardi, Falco, 0795868" Falco mumbled to himself, someone was working fast. The screen changed and then read:

"Login accepted, begin when ready. Select weapon and difficulty"

Falco looked around, uncertain as a target dropped from the ceiling. Only then did he spot a weapons rack at the back of the room. He wandered over to it, where he met Lupus standing stroking his chin as though selecting his breakfast cereal. In the end he pulled a pistol from the rack, spun it round his finger, grinned at Falco and walked off. Falco decided to stick to basics and took down a standard blaster, the same model as the sidearm he carried in his Arwing. Falco returned to his booth. He had always found target practice boring. Falco fired off a few shots, the target was fairly close, 5 metres or so, if he didn't hit it at this distance _he_ deserved to be shot.

After the first few rounds Falco started to get bored, his mind began to wander. He always found range work kind of patronising; at least he had since he was about ten. What challenge were targets that barely moved? No-one on the Behemoth was likely to oblige by running around in circles. Falco sighed as aimed a sniper rifle; he would rather be in the sky.

"Falco! Falco! Oi birdbrain are you listening?" Lupus walked up to him "hello? Falco"

"Huh what?" Falco snapped back from troubled thoughts to look at Lupus' grinning face.

"What planet are you on?" Lupus asked

"Not this one obviously!" Silver giggled.

"Sorry… I was thinking"

"Did it hurt?"

"mm just a little" Falco laughed at Lupus' mocking.

"We're finished Falco, we can do what we like now"

"Really, cool" Falco looked down. In front of him sat a large rifle, field-stripped. "ugh… idle hands" Falco mumbled staring at it before beginning to put it back together under Lupus and Blaze's gaze. Falco picked up the reassembled rifle and took it back to the rack.

"Whoa, that was quick, for a pilot" Lupus said

"Huh?" Falco looked at the gun "oh right, you'd be surprised how boring life on Great Fox can be" Falco grinned "besides, that was one of Peppy's favourite punishments, ugh, field-strip and clean every gun in the armoury. It used to take me the whole day!"

"Were you in trouble a lot then?" Silver asked coyly, twiddling her bracelet round her wrist

"Only Fox is faster…"

"Well he must be fast then-for a pilot, they make us do that so many times we can-"

"Pilots are a lot more skilled than you. So what if we can't take a gun apart in 30 seconds" Tyson growled

Lupus stared at him

"I don't think he meant it like that" Blaze said trying to diffuse things.

"You special ops guys think you're so great, makes me sick"

"Well Tyson, tomorrow you can show us how good you really are" Lupus snarled back.

"I'll be glad to whip your tail Kelly"

Lupus rolled his eyes and stormed out the armoury door. Followed closely by Blaze Silver and Salty.

"Touchy, touchy… The sky's the place to be aint it Lombardi?"

"I got nothing but admiration for the guys on the ground, I'd be dead without them, but yeah, I'll take the sky any day" Falco said truthfully.

"Fair do's Lombardi" Tyson said as they followed the team towards the meeting room. Up ahead Lupus was fuming.

"Don't let him get to you! He just loves winding you up!"

"Ugh, I can't stand him! If the Behemoth doesn't get him _I'll _shoot him"

The meeting room was busier now, filled with the talk and laughter of the young men and women that made up this part of the Cornerian Army. Music from some rock band was playing in the background, the mood seemed jovial. As Falco walked into the room he smelt alcohol and his stomach did a brief summersault, it wasn't strong, but he was sensitised to it, he supposed. He looked around and spotted a small canteen bar type arrangement, after occupying a table in the corner of the room Tyson and Lupus made B-lines for it.

_"Nothing like alcohol for fuelling fights."_

Falco found a seat at the corner of the table beside Silver. Tyson and Lupus returned together a little later, a temporary truce seeming to have been called. Lupus offered round beer to everyone except Salty. Falco shook his head

"No thanks Loop'"

"You sure? We only get one, one night a week"

Falco nodded

"Fair enough, more for me!"

"You don't drink?" Silver asked somewhat surprised

"No, not really."

"How come?"

"I had… a bad experience"

Silver frowned at him

"We need to be on alert on Great Fox all the time. I've never really seen it as a good idea for us all to be pissed." Falco chuckled "I've been designated driver for years"

"Why do you need to be alert?"

"Occasionally some idiot thinks it's smart to attack Great Fox" Falco raised an eyebrow "_Not_ a good idea, we-"

"I am not going on _your _team!" Lupus shouted

"Fair enough wolf. I'll just blow you to pieces"

"What team?" Falco asked Silver

"We have aerial combat training tomorrow 3 on 3, its supposed to be team building"

Blaze stood up.

"Back off guys" he said slowly

"I'll show you what I can do" Lupus growled

Alcohol and fights set all the major alarms ringing in Falco's head. He found himself on his feet.

"Cool it!!" He shouted at the top of his voice.

All of the team and a few on a table nearby turned to stare at him. Falco felt suddenly embarrassed.

"Ugh…" now he had their attention he'd better do something about their feud, split them up, that was what Peppy used to do "Lupus, you and Salty are with me tomorrow. Save it for the simulator"

Falco sat back down, just waiting for someone to challenge him, to his surprise no-one did and Lupus and Tyson were civil to one another for the rest of the evening.

Falco went with Salty when he retired, as they walked Salty spoke.

"I didn't know you could shout so loud"

Falco shrugged "I can do lots of thing if you put me in the position. I was not going to have them fighting on my first day in command." _"How would that have made me look? I'm not cracked up for this" _"Salty, do we have flight training tomorrow then?"

"Yes all day, ugh you Silver and Tyson are supposed to go over basic flight controls with the rest of us. I'm dreading it, I'm more than a little rusty"

"Hmm" Falco said more to himself than Salty as they found their way to their room.

The next morning Falco was last into the meeting room, Salty having beaten him to the shower by 30 seconds. He wandered up to the table where Blaze and Salty were eating. Lupus and Tyson were in the breakfast queue, Silver was sat reading the morning paper, Falco peered over her shoulder at it.

"Oh look they've sent in the Blockade-Runners to Andolonia. 'Bout bloody time too. A few more days and it would have been a job for us"

"Scanning the tabloids for business are you Falco?" Blaze asked mildly.

"We have to keep our eyes out for potential work… pickings have been a bit slim recently" Falco said dropping into a chair at Salty's side.

"Yeah, but you get a fortune for every job you do, don't you?" Blaze asked. Falco laughed.

"You can't believe everything you read in these things! The last job we did was a month's meteor clearing. We got paid peanuts! By the time we paid for bombs and other equipment it was hardly worth our while. Great Fox has definitely seen better days… Slippy was down to paperclips and duck tape by the time I left! You don't hear about that in the news do you?"

"I thought mercenaries were never short of money"

"Its alright when we get a big job, but if we're stuck doing cargo escorting and that kind of thing for more than a few months we start to run out"

"But you got paid a fortune for Andross!"

"Yes, but we still had to pay to get the Arwings fixed, restock the armoury and pay Fox and Slippy's medical bill. That doesn't come cheap you know, and that was three years ago now…"

An uneasy memory flickered across Falco's mind, accompanied by a shiver running up his spine, hastily he pushed it aside.

"What happened to Fox and Slippy?" Salty asked through a mouthful of cereal.

Even though they hadn't been on the best of terms when he left the memory of that day made Falco feel sick, angry and sad all at the same time. No-one could deny it had been awful, on more levels than he was willing to admit to. Falco was aware of his hands balling into fists when he responded.

"Andross nearly shot Fox to pieces before he ended it… him and his guard robots, he was too much of a coward to stand and fight for himself. Bastard." Falco's voice was like a growl. Salty's spoon was held motionless half way to his mouth, dripping milk down his front as he stared at him. "There was more blood outside his body than in it when he finally got back, but the robots seemed to have burnt him more than anything…" Falco looked around at his team-mate's expressions, and suddenly remembered that Blaze and Salty were eating. "Sorry" he added hastily. Then he smiled, aware that his expression was angry "Slippy cut open his arm" He laughed quietly "None of us ever worked out exactly how… complete mystery some of the things Slippy manages…"

Silver stood up without looking at him "you want some breakfast?" she asked, Falco nodded and followed her over to the canteen.

Once they were out of earshot of the others Falco spoke "Pilot training… Why are we bothering?"

Silver looked at him but said nothing, instead she turned to toying with her bracelet again.

"It took me six weeks to get basic flight controls, and that was fast!" Falco said exasperated.

Silver sighed "I know"

"What do they think we can teach them in what, how long we got… 20 hours?"

"I don't know. I think it's a moral booster, so that if we screw up the rest still have hope of being able to get out alone"

"But its suicide!"

"I know Falco!!" Silver shouted, Falco was surprised. She turned to him her face pale "My fighter skills aren't so good. I'm a shuttle pilot, I can't fly fighters, I've tried; it made me _ill_. I need to believe you can teach me enough to survive too Falco. Coz if you screw up and leave me alone…" Silver stopped a lump catching in her throat "I'm not stupid, there isn't much margin for error in this. If too many of us die… none of us are getting out." She looked at him "How good do you think Blaze can fly a shuttle? Or Lupus, or even Tyson? How well do you think Salty is going to do in a fighter?"

Falco knew the odds were grim, perhaps even more than she did "We'd better not die than had we?" Silver smiled and slid her try along the side towards the hot food "That was the good thing about Star Fox… we all learnt pretty much everything, or at least had two of each. Fox never got his shuttle licence, he didn't have the patience, but Peppy and I both did. Fox and Slippy can both use the Landmaster and Blue Marine, I wasn't volunteering, there's no way you'll get me underwater in something Slippy built without a fight! Apart from that we're all fairly interchangeable… although we have our preferences. Bacon and egg please. I do a lot of the ranged attacks, sniping and the like-Thanks" more Army food was dumped onto his plate "and you name it, I've flown it… might not have been very good, but that's besides the point. Hang glider was fun, even though I nearly had a close encounter with a tree."

Silver smiled "I just specialised in Shuttles, personnel and PLT's mostly, I never had many heavy shuttle ops so I'm a little out of practice"

"Pepper seems to think your one of the best" Falco said following her back to the table. At that Silver said nothing.

After breakfast Falco followed the rest of the team to the simulators, he still didn't know his way around the base. When they arrived at the simulator the supervisor asked them for the commanding officer a team name.

"We don't have a team name do we?" Lupus asked

"No… someone needs to think of one" Silver said "Falco you need to sign us in!"

"Really, uh Falco Lombardi… team leader" Falco said feeling fairly odd, offering his hand for the biochip reader. To his surprise it was accepted and they were allowed into the large room containing the simulators.

Falco looked up at the simulator pods, sighing. _What's the point? I can't teach these lot to fly in time…we'd be better off spending the time in the firing ranges… oh shit we're screwed… really, really screwed… _Falco watched as the others got into the simulator. He caught Silver's eye as she ducked into the door, he frowned at her, she just shrugged helplessly back. Falco turned back to the pod. He was last to enter. He sighed to himself as the door closed sealing off the last of the light, plunging him into darkness. Ahead of him the screen flickered into life. Watching he pulled the comm. link onto his head. The screen showed the mission selection screen. Falco stared bemused at it; it showed the others' status as "ready". He guessed he had to pick what they would all do, he noticed at the bottom of the screen it said "commander position". Falco gazed thoughtfully at the options…

"Hey Lombardi, we haven't got all day, would you select a mission already!" Tyson's irritated voice came over the comm.

"Keep your fur on Tyson" Falco growled, finally he found a suitable mission for all levels of ability. "Alright, let's try something nice and simple to brush up on your skills"

Falco selected a training course, ring navigation and basic combat controls.

"Oh how patronising, what do you think I am Falco, a god dammed rookie?"

"We're not all pilots Tyson!" Lupus growled.

"This can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, there's multiple paths, just chose the one that suits you."

"Which one's the easy one?" Salty asked meekly, Falco heard Tyson scoff down the comm.

"Easy path is marked in blue, medium yellow, hard red" Falco said as the screen changed to display blue skies. Ahead of him he could see the first of the rings, blue, then as his eyes followed they branched off into the three colours. As Falco gazed at the display he noticed something he wasn't expecting. An option on the corner of his display read "observe and assist" mildly he selected it. The names of all the team flicked up. Falco clicked on Salty's name. His screen flickered and changed. Falco was looking out over Salty's course. Falco watched him for a moment as he made a nervous route through the first few rings. Falco decided he needed a little reassurance, he pushed his Arwing forward down towards the course.

"Don't be frightened Salt'!" he called pulling into his field of vision "Show those rings who's boss! It won't hurt if you hit or miss one I promise. Just go for it!"

Salty stopped.

"I can't Falco. Its like trying to do eight things at once, I'm having major problems at this speed let alone any faster. I just can't think about all those things fast enough"

"Then don't think" Falco said simply

"What?"

"Just feel. Let your Arwing become part of you. She wants to, you just have to let her. You don't have to think about making your legs walk, now just let your Arwing become your limbs. It takes a while, but once you get that your well on your way to becoming a fine pilot"

"I can't do that!"

"Just relax… Would it help if I led the way?"

"yeah maybe"

"Come on then, chase me tail!" Falco barrel rolled and sped off, followed more slowly by Salty. As he came to the first set of rings Falco slowed down again.

"ok Salt' I'll talk you through" Falco flew easily through the first ring then tilted the controls to the left.

"nice and gentle now." Falco eased right through the next ring. "That's it" Falco led him through successive rings until they came to one above the other. "Summersault now Salt, watch me then you try ok?"

Falco accelerated a little and flew through the bottom ring then pulled up hard turning so that his Arwing went through the upper ring on its back, then he pushed down again and skimmed through the bottom ring again.

"you don't have to go through the bottom one twice… I was just showing off a little… sorry…"

"you make that look easy Falco!"

"We all have to start somewhere, I've been doing this for eight years, now you try it, use your thrust and brake to make sure you get the loop tight enough… off you go!"

Falco watched as Salty tried. The first time he missed the second ring, too high, the second he couldn't get the Arwing onto its back, the third time however he succeeded.

"Whoa Salt', well done you're a natural! Come on catch me!" Falco sped off around the rest of the blue ringed course, gradually increasing the speed. Salty missed a few rings, but Falco was pleasantly surprised by his skills. At the end of the course they paused

"Well done Salty! Why don't you try it again, a little faster this time. I'm going to check on the others for a bit then we'll do something else"

Falco switched the screens so that he could observe the others in turn. He watched each for a time, Silver it seemed wasn't nearly as rusty as she thought she was, and seemed to have gotten over her motion sickness, as she barrel rolled and somersaulted through the rings. It looked as though Lupus had missed his vocation when he joined Special Ops. Blaze on the other hand… was rusty… he seemed to be struggling more than all the rest, perhaps even more so than Salty, which worried Falco considerably as he was supposed to be one of the reserve shuttle pilots.

"Need any help Blaze?" Falco asked

"Huh?!" He flew into a ring "Ugh, I really am crap at this aint I Falco?" He asked

"Just rusty" Falco reassured "Besides, you're not meant to be a pilot. You're a fish out of water up here"

Blaze laughed at that "Unlike you"

"I was made to fly! Want to know something? I hate water, terrified of drowning, and I could never do half the combat moves I was supposed to learn."

"Really? How come?"

"Not strong enough. We all have our weak and strong points" _"God I sound like Peppy" _"Yours might just not be flying fighters"

"To be honest its never been my thing. I prefer shuttles. Arwings go so fast I always seem to be two moves behind whatever its doing!"

"Try taking it a little slower then. Until your legs stop getting tied in knots"

"You know Falco that's exactly the problem I have"

"Mm, I know, I've been there… once my legs grew long enough to reach the pedals!"

Blaze laughed again "I never had that problem. I've always been a foot taller than everyone else. That's what made me so good for Special Ops." Falco watched Blaze on the course "I like Special Ops. How can you beat a job where they let you play with high yield explosives on a regular basis?"

"Yeah… I think I was always destined to be a pilot, no matter what everyone else said… my heart always burned for the sky… Father wanted me to follow him in his trade… he wanted me to be lawyer… Ugh, shirts and collars suffocate me. I can't think of anything worse."

"Falco how old are you?"

Falco felt part of him go cold… _"Not old enough" _"Hey Blaze look! You're at the end of the course!"

"Really, hey that was easier when I was talking to you!"

"Yeah, you shouldn't think about it so much, try and let it be automatic. I just have to check on Tyson then I think we'll have a little dogfight"

"oh yay, another excuse for Tyson and Lupus to get at one another"

"I know, but I'd rather they battled it out in the simulator than anywhere else"

When he checked on Tyson he wasn't surprised to see him showing off. Shooting through the hard course at breakneck speed then destroying everything in the combat section. Falco shook his head, part of him willed him to screw up and hit the deck and be blown into little tiny bits. He smiled to himself, he usually only reserved those kind of feelings for Fox.

"All units listen up" Falco said "I 'spect your getting pretty bored with that by now, so how about a little dogfight"

Falco noted a little whoop of delight over the comm. from Lupus and pretended not to hear Tyson say "at last". He flicked the screen. Pictures of the 6 Arwings flashed up on the screen along with their pilots' names and an option for a handicap, grinning Falco took his and Tyson's shields down to 30. _"That should make life more interesting"_ Along with that he assigned teams, true to his word he took Lupus and Salty on his and Silver, Blaze and Tyson on the other, quite fair teams as it turned out.

The screen flicked into life, blue skies high above Corneria, or somewhere like it, too high up to risk hitting the ground. Falco was aware of Lupus behind and to his right and Salty behind on his left. It felt very weird to be flying in Fox's position.

"Ok boys, we have to stick together ok? Work as a team, if we combine our firepower we can bring them down without too much fuss. Besides, if you get separated you're vulnerable" he'd flown with rookies before, the most important thing was for them not to panic "if we get separated don't worry, I'll come and find you ok? Just hold your own for as long as you can" he said mainly for Salty's benefit. Falco would be dammed if he was going to let Tyson pick on him. Well he should probably worry more about Lupus on that front. "Fly together"

On the other team Tyson had an entirely different approach. He boosted away from the others intent only on the clash with the opposition.

Salty spotted Tyson on scanners first

"Here he comes!" he squeaked nervously, his flight path wavering.

"Fly straight and tight, guys, don't let them split us up." The others appeared in view a little behind Tyson "Here they come. Concentrate your fire on Tyson!" Dirty tactics Falco knew, without him the rest would be easy prey, but in a real battle they would be shown no mercy. Tyson needed to learn how to use all his team-mates' strengths.

Falco's team and Tyson clashed in what turned into a giant game of chicken. Falco's inexperienced team broke too soon leaving him and Tyson charging towards one another in a battle of wills firing and barrel rolling, seeing who would blink first. Falco pulled up suddenly Tyson shot under him Falco then faced the others coming behind. Salty had engaged Silver and was taking damage so he turned to her, outnumbered she was forced to leave Salty and flee.

"Form up!" Falco shouted to Lupus who flew up to join his wing, between them they chased Silver. By the time Tyson decided to help her, her ship was aflame. Falco saw him coming and turned to meet him.

"Stay on Silver" he commanded "Bring her down then I'll meet you" Falco pulled away and tried to circle round to get behind Tyson, hoping he was concentrating on Lupus. Tyson broke off his attack just as Falco went to fire his first shot. They then entered into a large game of tag. He chased Tyson, and Tyson chased him. Tyson was good but not good enough, Falco went to squeeze off a final volley that would finish it… Something slammed into his side. His Arwing tumbled away, spinning. Falco fought the controls, he had to get control again. Eventually the stomach churning fall stopped and he managed to level out.

"Falco, Falco are you ok?" Salty's voice as he and Lupus dived towards him, followed distantly by Tyson and further back Blaze.

"Yeah… what happened?"

"Blaze hit you. But we got Silver though!" Lupus told him. Falco noted an Arwing crossed out on the screen.

"Stay tight, they're coming back for more. They're outnumbered" "_Yeah but my Arwing now has the manoeuvrability of the Landmaster with both treads missing"_

Falco braced himself for an attack he wasn't sure he would survive. He led the team on evasion patterns for a while then cried:

"Break!" The three of them shot off in different directions, Falco somersaulted and came up behind the two of them. Tyson broke away, but Blaze was too slow. Though he had hardly any damage he was unable to escape Falco's pursuit. After a short time Falco sent him towards the ground in a ball of flame. As he did so he heard a bleeping sound. An Arwing flashed up on the screen then was crossed through. Tyson had caught Lupus

"Salty, where are you?" Falco asked

"I'm still here" Came his frightened reply then- "help me! Tyson, he's coming!"

Falco boosted towards them. Every moment seeming to take too long

"He's firing on me! I can't shake him. Falco hurry!"

He could see them, both Arwings trailing smoke. Tyson was truly merciless, Salty didn't have long left…

"Aaaa!" Salty cried, his Arwing lost all power, Falco saw a wave of blue run across the ship as the electrical systems shorted out. Tyson shot over him. Falco followed shooting him, Tyson somersaulted and came up behind him, Falco's Arwing's manoeuvrability chose that moment to give up completely. He couldn't get away. There was an explosion and his simulator shut down…

Tyson stared about himself. He'd just got Lombardi, so why hadn't the machine shut down?

"Peep, peep, peep" Someone had a lock on him. He turned his head quickly to see Salty's stricken Arwing… Firing on him!

A loud raucous cheer roared round the simulator room. Then the machines shut down flashing "Victor, Salty Greenbank" on the main screen the others had been watching.

"Yee ha! Well done Salty!!!!" Lupus cried dragging him out of the simulator. "You killed Tyson! Way to go man!"

"Nice one Salty!" Falco cried, realising what must have happened.

"That was a fluke" Tyson growled "Only because Lombardi set the handicap so his team could win"

"Tyson our handicaps were set both the same" He grinned at Salty "Don't be a sorry looser"

Falco watched with admiration and glee as Lupus and Blaze lifted Salty onto their shoulders and paraded him around the room with whoops and cries of delight. Tyson's scowl was deeper than Falco thought it was possible for a Canite's to be, he was sure that if Fox had walked around with a face like that it would have given him a headache… well it would have because Falco would have hit him before long!

"I could take you all and win" Tyson snarled under his breath

"Oh please, you couldn't even beat Salty! No offence."

"Why don't you take Falco on? It would make good viewing for the rest of us" Salty suggested, to Falco's annoyance

"Yeah, why don't you show us how it's done?" Lupus growled

"Fair enough Lombardi, you're on… or are you chicken"

Groaning Falco nodded in agreement. The expressions of the rest of the team, mainly Lupus told him he couldn't back down, and that they would all be rooting for him. Wondering mildly what he was letting himself in for and what the upshot would be if he lost he stepped back into the simulator.

The screen came into life, some planet Falco couldn't identify. The ground was of red rock, hard, the kind of surface you really didn't want to hit hard, totally unforgiving. He sighed. The scanners showed canyons ahead, not the kind of place you wanted to get chased into… but it was ok if you were the one doing the chasing. He grinned to himself. Avions were known for their reaction speeds… and Tyson, like Fox didn't seem like the kind of person capable of doing more than one thing at a time. In those canyons he'd have the advantage… now it all depended on whether Tyson was stupid enough to allow himself to be chased into them…

Falco drew up high into the sky, to give his scanners the best chance of tracking Tyson, even though it lit him up like a Christmas tree. He spotted Tyson crossing the red plains below him and to his right, heading straight for the canyons.

_"Perfect" _Falco thought to himself _"unless he's got the same idea as me… well, we'll just have to make sure I'm the hunter… Mmm I wonder what Canite tastes like… wait EWWW!... is that cannibalism?"_

He shook his head and turned his mind back to the battle. Tyson had turned his Arwing up to approach him, Falco dove down and away from him, leading him towards the canyon, he would get behind and chase him in later, he'd just have to play bait for a minute

_"Come on little foxy chase the chicken. Huh, I'll give you chicken you arrogant asshole" _

Sometimes it helped to provoke and insult the enemy, shooting down friends was always harder than killing someone you despised… sometimes a little anger helped, provided it wasn't too much, that way you just made mistakes, it was never good when things got personal. Falco looked back to see Tyson following, just out of range. He was pleased, and kicked a little more speed out of his Arwing to keep the distance, a plan formulating in his mind as the canyon grew closer and closer.

The first crack in the ground soon appeared below him, widening into a trench and then the promised canyon. Gradually he allowed Tyson to draw closer. As soon as it became deep and wide enough Falco dove down and stood on the breaks. Tyson didn't react fast enough and shoot over the top of him, down into the canyon, Falco surged after him, raining fire on his Arwing, Tyson for want of a better term panicked. It seemed he found it hard to do two things at once. He couldn't avoid the tight canyon walls and evade Falco's fire. First one of his wings hit one side then he bounced and hit the other. When he tried to pull out Falco blocked his route with a succession of bombs. Falco darted around another corner cleanly as Tyson's damaged Arwing struck the walls then he disappeared round another corner and as Falco rounded it he met only a receding blast wave. The simulator shut down.

The door opened and Falco met Lupus' grinning face. The delight in his eyes made Falco laugh, especially as he stood up and tried to look around casually as though the results of the match were of no interest to him at all.

"Hey you guys, you know we needed a name"

There was a pause. Lupus halted his silent celebrations

"Yeah?" Blaze asked

"Well umm I was thinking…"

"Come on Salt' spit it out!"

"Well my shuttle… it disappears, kinda like a ghost right?... Well I was thinking maybe we could be The Spectres… coz we fly in a ghost ship, and hopefully we're gunna sweep through the Behemoth without them ever knowing we're there" An odd smile crept across his face "At least, not until its too late"

"Mm Spectre Strike, sounds good to me. What do you think Falco?" Blaze asked

"I like it"

"Me too" Silver agreed

"Shall we go for that then?" Falco asked, looking around the team. Everyone, even Tyson, who seemed grateful for the distraction from his defeat nodded. "Cool"

Peppy wandered guiltily into Falco's bedroom. The room was a mess of clothes strewn about on the floor, the hastily raided cupboards still gaping open. Almost automatically he picked up the things and put them away. Thinking only briefly that he should leave him to clear up his own mess. After he'd done that he wandered into the bathroom and washed the blood from the sink. Once he'd done that he slowly plodded back into the main part of the room. It looked more normal now, if perhaps just a little too tidy. He sat heavily on the half made bed, peering round the room, filled with the trinkets of their shared lives. Large pictures of varied landscapes on the walls, a bookcase running from floor to ceiling filled to breaking point with books against one of the walls. His desk and computer in the corner, spread with books and scraps of paper, above that more shelves filled with even more books. Laughing Peppy thought how Falco now had nearly as many books as him! On top of his computer monitor sat a brown horse that moved if you touched it, Slippy had bought Falco that a few years ago as an ironic get well soon present. Peppy sighed, in the eight years he'd known Falco, since he'd picked up the scared, quiet child they'd barely been apart. Since then Peppy had raised him, and he liked to think he hadn't done too bad a job. But now Falco was gone. He sighed to himself, maybe he was overprotective, but he just wished he knew where Falco had gone, if he'd knew that he would have no reason to worry. Part of him was angry at Falco for not putting his mind at rest, all he had to do was call, but then, he always had been stubborn. Peppy knew Fox would say he was being stupid if he could see him, they all said he worried too much. But it had been four days, and he'd had no word. It was early morning, he hadn't slept properly the night before, he was up early, even for him. Part of him had hoped that he would have come into the room that morning and find Falco asleep peacefully in his bed. Peppy didn't mind admitting the satisfaction he would have gotten from waking him to shout at him and tell him how worried he'd been, but this morning there was no such luck, the room was still stubbornly absent. Feeling even more guilty he decided upon something he had to do, for his own sake. He knew where Falco kept his diary.

"It really has been one of those days. Fox beat me in the simulator, so I suppose he'll be gloating about that for a while. Then I blew out another power relay on my port cannon, so Slippy had a go at me. Then I managed to delete my history essay, its due in next week. I'd been working on it for ages, so I'm well pissed about that, and I can't find my notes. Then I burnt the lunch, which gave Fox another excuse to take the mick – not that he can cook. Then this afternoon I totally failed to do anything at all right… Apart from that today's been just great, its now nearly tomorrow as I've been up for ages trying to remember how my essay went… ugh "Discuss the contributing factors to the formation of the Lylat Federation and say which you think is most significant and why". To think I chose to do this! Fox doesn't do any school work anymore. Good job they're flexible about deadlines or I'd be well screwed, but no combat missions, no extensions. Never mind I think I'll be finished in time. I'm going to get up early tomorrow and finish it. I'll get Peppy to check it then send it. The sooner the damn things out of here the better! Must sleep now, very tired. Goodnight."

Peppy looked at the page, no matter how many times he read it, it didn't give any real clues as to where Falco had gone. He'd done it now, he may as well make a full inspection, hoping Falco would forgive him for this gross invasion of his privacy he flicked back to the day before.

"Today's been fairly normal, if life on Great Fox is ever is. Slippy set the docking bay alight again and I had to help him put it out. We managed to sort it quick enough for Fox and Peppy not to find out, which relieved Slippy no end. I finally completed the "Taliri Shuttle Escort" mission on the simulator, it's been getting on my nerves for ages, and I did it before Fox, which is always a good thing. He's getting on my nerves a bit at the moment, nothing new there I know but… well I don't know, he just seems to be that little bit more irritating lately…"

Ok so they weren't getting along so well, that wasn't anything new Peppy thought but he could still find no reason for him to run out or any clue on where he would go. Sighing Peppy flicked through the pages until something caught his eye just a few days before.

"-I've been having nightmares. I've always had nightmares but never anything like this before, I can't explain it, only that they leave me screaming in the middle of the night and unsure as to where and indeed who I am. Last night was the worst by far… I was in a dark place, I don't know where… Maybe Avion on the streets again, but I don't think so… I was holding a gun. Something was after me but I couldn't see it, it was hidden by the shadows… Then it jumped me, a familiar presence, but one long dead. Andross isn't my ghost he's Fox's, heaven knows I have enough of my own, so why the hell am I having nightmares about him? He killed Fox, Slippy and Peppy in front of me before ripping off my head… What the hell does that mean? I woke up crying… I keep trying to tell myself Andross is long gone but something keeps nagging at me, its like that time before Peppy crashed, I dreamt that before it happened… nah it was coincidence. I always dream we're crashing. Andross is **long** dead."

Peppy noted the last part seemed more like a prayer than a fact. He shook his head. Mildly he tried to think his way into Falco's shoes. From the looks of things his departure hadn't been planed, perversely that made Peppy feel better, he hoped Falco would find he had neglected to take all the things he would need, Peppy hoped he would be forced to return by necessity. Nevertheless he still had no idea where Falco would go, he wouldn't return to his home world, Avion, he knew him well enough not to think that. Peppy didn't know where else he could go, Great Fox was home to all of them. He sighed, the feeling of guilt returning slightly as he flipped through Falco's diary again, he found a section which confused him immensely. He starred at it for a moment before realising what it was. Avion text, he knew Falco could read, write and speak it but he often forgot that, there wasn't much call for it on Great Fox. The alien alphabet meant nothing to him, whatever Falco had written he definitely he didn't want anyone to understand, either that or they were words only fitting to the Avion language. Peppy looked instead to the doodles around the page, a smudged emblem of the Wandering Alliance, an Arwing chasing what looked oddly like the old Wolfen Star-fighters owned by the Star Wolf team, supposedly long dead. He found it strange that Falco would choose to draw that of all things, maybe this entry was his recollections of the past, that way it seemed fitting that the text should be in Avion. Sadly he put the book back where it belonged, looking around the room he sighed to himself.

"I'll let you have your secrets for now little one… I just wish I knew where you are." He picked up one of the photo frames by the bed Falco hadn't emptied, of the team and gazed at it. "Stay safe"

Peppy found a printout of the history essay on Falco's desk. He picked it up and started to read it. He had to laugh, Falco had spelt "accumulation" wrong within the first sentence. Spelling never had been one of his strong points, he supposed in part he could blame that on his teacher. Laughing to himself he did as the diary had asked of him and sent it on its merry way through cyberspace to the central marking board on Katina. That done his thoughts were allowed to wander, eventually he decided a word with an old friend was in order, it couldn't hurt.

General Pepper looked up at the sound of the bleeping of his comm. mildly he wondered who would be calling him, he wasn't expecting any external contacts. Leaning heavily on the pile of mission reports on his desk he answered the comm. He was surprised when he saw a familiar face appear on the screen.

"Peppy!" Pepper said surprised and pleased "long time no see…"

"Yes… it's good to talk to you again Charles" Peppy tried to smile but he wouldn't have bought it had he been looking at himself.

"What's troubling you Peppy, I get the impression this isn't a social call"

Peppy's eyes dropped for a moment "No…I'm calling to ask if you've heard from Falco"

Pepper was surprised and slightly alarmed, but his face didn't show it, he hadn't risen through the ranks to become Cornerian Minister of Defence by letting his face give his secrets away.

"Because I know you hear things I don't… he ran out on us a few days ago now and we haven't heard from him… I was wondering if he'd turned up at one of your squadrons or something." Peppy looked up, a pleading hopeful look in his eyes.

Pepper's face didn't so much as flicker as he lied to his friend of almost 20 years. "No, I'm sorry Peppy I'm afraid he hasn't" This was the worst thing he could lie to him about and Pepper knew it.

Peppy looked deeply disappointed.

"What do you mean by him running out?" Pepper asked

"Exactly that, no note, no communications, no nothing. He and Fox were squabbling like they always do one minute, the next I'm looking for him and he's gone off sensors."

"That seems out of character doesn't it?"

Peppy shrugged and looked down. It wasn't hugely out of character… Falco had run away from his childhood home, and had been known to be the most lonesome member of the team, often taking himself off on solo flights for hours at a time… but it had never been like this before, he'd never taken his things… it seemed that this time it would be an extended absence, Peppy couldn't bring himself to imagine it would be permanent.

"I'm worried about him Charles…" Peppy's eyes were filled with pain.

Pepper decided he should do his best to reassure him.

"Falco is more than capable of taking care of himself"

"Its not his abilities that I doubt… there are lots of people out there who don't like us very much… They wouldn't dare attack Great Fox, but a lone Arwing is an entirely different story. I'm scared of what might happen to him… he's still young, with the capacity to be foolish"

"Falco wont allow himself to get into a situation like that, he's got more sense. We all make irrational decisions from time to time, Falco is no different."

Peppy sighed "If you hear from him ask him to call home, or if you find out where he is let us know"

"Of course I will Peppy. Take care, I'm sure Falco is safe wherever he is, and he'll turn up like a bad penny when it suits him"

Peppy managed to smile "I hope so. Thanks Charles…" He paused thoughtfully for a moment "Star Fox is still open for business… hell we need the money. Thanks again Charles, get in touch if you hear anything, anything at all"

"Yes, yes… Goodbye Peppy"

Peppy nodded and cut the comm.

Pepper paused for a moment. He hadn't realised Falco had just run out on Star Fox. He considered whether this would be a problem for the mission, he guessed not, Falco was committed now and wouldn't, couldn't back out. He knew better than to break the secrets act, even to them. It didn't matter whether Peppy was looking for him or not. Pepper sighed, he owed it to Peppy to at least talk to him, especially after having lied to him about it. _"Teenagers." _Pepper thought rolling his eyes.

"Falco can I talk to you for a moment?"

Falco looked at Silver and shrugged before following the General out of the room. He took him into his office just down the hall. He closed the door behind them. Falco started to get a little nervous. He looked around uneasily as Pepper sat down. As before he gestured for Falco to sit.

"I've just had Peppy on the line" He said slowly. "You gave me the impression that you had resigned from Star Fox"

Falco looked up "you didn't tell him where I am did you?"

"no" Pepper sighed "this strike mission is a secret"

Falco sighed in relief. He didn't really want Peppy to know. The image of him marching into the base to drag him home flickered across his mind. Besides if he knew he was going on a mission like this he would get nervous. It suddenly occurred to him that Pepper might be about to reprimand him.

"He's very worried about you" Pepper said after a long pause. Falco's fear of a reprimand changed to something much worse, guilt. He looked down, unable to answer for a long time.

"It was never my intention just to run out… I was going to call once I'd found some friends or someone to stay with. I just never got there. You can imagine his reaction if I told him I was with the Cornerian Army"

"Yes… but its very difficult to lie to an old friend. You can talk to him as long as you don't tell him where you are"

"He'd want to know" Falco sighed then smiled "Third degree, Where are you? Who are you with? When are you coming back? I can't answer any of those can I?"

"But at least tell him you're safe"

"He wont believe me if I avoid questions, he knows me too well for that, and I cant lie to him, that's the problem, he can just see through me, like glass, no matter how hard I try. If I lie, or avoid questions it'll just make things worse. He'll have Slippy try to track the call. If he finds it leads here he'll think the worst, that I've been arrested or something... If Slippy can't find where I'm talking from that will make them suspicious too. Its best if I just disappear."

Pepper looked up. "I have found that in this Federation it is very hard to simply disappear"

"My friends did a fairly good job of it" Falco said bitterly.

"Yes Avions do seem to have a certain knack for it. Other than your lot the only thing that disappears around here is Salty's shuttle"

"And Slippy's tools" Falco said mildly.

Pepper grinned "Will you go back to them once this is finished?"

Falco paused thoughtfully "Yes, if they'll still have me. I never meant to be leaving permanently, just an unscheduled holiday…"

"Peppy will certainly have you back" Pepper said.

"I know… but its not him that decides is it?"

"I'm sure Fox will be just as glad to see you home as him"

"I don't think so, we weren't on the best of terms when I left…"

"Really?"

"no… we had a fight, a big one, that was what tipped the balance"

"I'm sure Fox didn't mean whatever it was he said…"

"I'm not sure he didn't… he gave me an order to leave and I obeyed. Even if he didn't mean it, it doesn't matter, because I did" Falco shrugged "I couldn't stay any longer, fighting for causes I wasn't always sure I believed in. I'm sick of only ever dishing out death and destruction." Falco looked up helplessly "My people have disowned me! I haven't heard an Avion voice for months. I'm beginning to think they were right to reject me"

"Why do you say that?"

"My people see Wanders… pilots, as being primitive, evil, freaks of a backwards nature. I'm beginning to think their beliefs are right."

"Now you're just being silly"

Falco shrugged. "Can I go now sir"

"Yes" Pepper said looking at him intently, for a moment Falco thought he saw where Peppy got it from. He escaped the office as quickly as possible.

"What was all that about?" Silver asked when Falco returned to the canteen.

"Oh nothing, nothing" he shrugged it off, he was more homesick than he had realised "What we got today?" he asked

"Infiltration training then target practise"

"oh lovely… sneaking around some dark stuffy building for hours then shooting at red and white targets until we see them in our sleep. YAY!"

"Your such a happy soul Falco" Silver joked. Falco looked up at her and smiled

"It comes form living with Fox for years… How we never killed one another I don't know"

"Ah you love him really"

"You really think so?"

"Yes. Even if you're too stubborn to admit that to yourself."

"Aw man do they have to insist on us wearin' this stuff?" Lupus groaned

"What is it?" Salty asked holding up the black armour shirt in front of him

"Laser armour. If you get hit it registers it and then some system paralyses whatever part got hit" Blaze told him in his usual soft voice.

"Creepy as hell it is" Lupus said.

"I got shot in the head first time I wore it" Silver said "Couldn't understand why I was on the floor all of a sudden"

"You were dead" Lupus laughed

"No shit Sherlock" Tyson, of course

Falco pulled the armour over his head "We don't have this on Great Fox. We could never afford it, we've still got the old cattle prod system"

"huh?" Salty asked

"It electrocutes you when you get hit" Blaze said

"OUCH!" Lupus cried

"Yeah count yourself lucky, they were still using it when I was doing my training. You lot got it easy" Blaze chuckled

"Yeah, I'd rather be paralysed than electrocuted any day" Falco said

"How long does it make you paralysed for?" Salty asked

"If your dead not long, otherwise until the end of the training" Lupus groaned "makes running real hard"

Salty started to put the armour on but was having trouble getting it on properly subconsciously Falco moved to help him.

"our system's practically stone age. Slippy updates it now and then, but we were so broke it was all we could do to afford to hold the ship together. I'm sure I saw a pipe held together with duck tape… and I'm pretty sure it was the oxygen supply" Falco did up the shoulder straps on Salty's armour "its best not to ask about things like that though. You might not like the answer!"

"Everyone ready?" Silver asked

The team nodded.

"The guards inside have been briefed only to provide standard internal guard duty. They aren't protecting anything specific and they don't know what to expect, numbers or target. We have the element of surprise, we'll only have that once. So let's go get 'em!" Falco said and opened the door into the large simulator hall.

"Whoa, it's blacker than Blaze's ass in here!" Falco heard Lupus say over the comm. He could hear soft varied laughter echoing from everyone.

"Switch to night vision" Falco said pulling down the corresponding part of his visor on his helmet, listening to the snapping sounds as the others did the same.

"Do I want to know how you know how black Blaze's butt is?" Silver asked coyly

"Oh well… umm" Lupus mocked

"Careful Loop or I might just shoot you by mistake in this dark"

"Come on, cut the chatter" Falco said firmly, but not without humour in his voice.

The six of them stalked off along the dark corridors, following Salty's directions as they moved closer and closer to the pinpoint of the colour on his energy tracker that was the core. They walked cautiously along the corridors, uncertain, straining all their senses to detect anything. Suddenly Lupus by Falco's side stopped.

"I hear voices"

Tyson was about to make a wise crack about seeing a psychologist when he heard them too.

"So do I"

Falco listened and faintly managed to hear people speaking up ahead.

"Tyson your with me. Everyone else wait here"

Wordlessly he moved off and Tyson followed.

They crouched behind a convenient crate, watching the junction in the corridor.

"Do you think there's another way round?"

"Oh come on Lombardi are you going to let a few guards stop us?"

Ahead several guards blocked their way, Falco could count at least six, and he had a feeling there would be more not too far away.

"We don't want to risk raising an alarm"

"Come on we can do it"

Tyson stood up and began to walk off. Falco grabbed hold of his tail and pulled him back by his side.

"I admire your bravery Tyson but there is a very fine line between courage and stupidity, and you seem to have forgotten who's in charge. For now we do this my way"

Tyson gave him a hard look but for the moment remained at his side. Being in command felt very strange to Falco, he'd never been the one giving orders before, not that anyone had ever taken Fox too seriously, yet when it had mattered, and orders had needed to be swift and decisive they had all followed Fox unquestionably, that was the way Falco would like it to be, he needed to earn the team's respect and perhaps more importantly their trust. He stared at the guards again, they didn't look like they would be moving any time soon.

"Come on, lets find another way around"

Together they returned to the rest of the group.

"The way ahead's blocked, we'll have to find another way around" Falco turned to Salty "I trust you can do that Salt'"

He nodded "Follow me" and set off back the way they had come.

Tyson's reckless behaviour was to get him in trouble again. They came around a corner up behind a group of guards just a little away. He ran at them before Falco could stop him.

"Back! Back!" Falco screamed practically pushing Silver and Salty out of sight, seeing the inevitable before them.

"That guy's a liability!" Lupus shouted pinning himself against the wall.

Falco turned his head so he could hear what was going on down the corridor. A few shots, then voices.

"Drop the gun"

A clattering sound and Tyson's groan.

"Hands above your head"

Then footsteps, moving away from them.

"We'll have to leave him. They think he's alone, there wont be an alarm."

"No!" Falco shouted, with depth and intensity the others wouldn't have believed him capable of. A voice that commanded attention "In _my_ team _no_-_one _gets left behind!"

"Aw, even Tyson?"

"Lupus" Falco growled, silencing him. "Right. Lupus take the bomb and give Blaze your rifle. Take Salty and Silver on and set the bomb. See any more guards hole up somewhere and wait for us. Otherwise we'll catch you up"

Lupus looked as though he was going to say something.

"Don't even think about arguing. Go! Now! Blaze you're with me."

Falco watched Lupus lead the others off, following Salty's tracker. Then Falco turned and drew out his own tracker and locked it onto Tyson's bio-signature. The guards hadn't taken him far. Falco and Blaze went quickly after them.

They found Tyson held by a ring of guards, two holding to his arms another four standing around. Falco and Blaze hid behind a wall.

"five, six" Falco counted. "How many can you take from here?"

"Mm, one, two, before they blow my head off. No more than that without risking hitting Tyson"

"Right… I'll get the two holding him. We'll snipe one each now. You think you can handle the rest… if I confuse them a bit"

"Yeah, but how you gunna?!"

Falco smiled

"I've had worse odds on my days off" He grinned, though inside he wasn't so confident. "Get ready" Falco lifted his blaster. "Head shots remember"

Blaze nodded grimly.

"three, two, one. Shoot!" Blaze's sniper cracked over Falco's right shoulder as he squeezed the trigger of his gun and two guards went down easily. Falco chose that moment to run.

_"Get them while they're confused. The ones holding Tyson wont be able to reach guns so quick!"_

Blaze's rifle cracked again and Falco heard another guard go down. Falco headed for the two holding Tyson. Seeing a rescue Tyson somehow managed to elbow one of the guards in the groin as Falco shot the other one. Tyson was released and jumped away giving Falco a clear shot at the groaning guard. He had just finished making the shot when Tyson screamed out to him.

"Lombardi! Look out!"

Falco looked left and saw the guard only just in time, he jumped away and a blaster bolt skimmed past him dangerously close, the armour didn't register him as hit. Blaze's rifle cracked again and the guard thudded to the floor. Falco looked briefly around for more. There were none

"Come on lets get out of here!" He ordered.

Blaze and Tyson didn't refuse and turned and ran with him.

"You can talk about taking stupid risks!" Tyson gasped.

Falco turned to him "I never leave my people behind"

Tyson looked startled then Falco was sure the faintest hint of a smile crossed his lips, though he turned his head quickly away.

"We're closing on the other's signals. They're all still there thank goodness" Blaze reported. "wait they're coming back this way"

Falco raised his arm to his beak.

"Lupus, report!"

"Bomb's set, we got company though"

"Can you get to us?"

"Think so"

"Right we'll take some of them, just run past us"

"Yes sir"

Falco found a good place where there was a junction in the corridor and a recess a little ahead.

"Tyson, Blaze up there." He pointed to the recess. "Take some of the bastards chasing them. No heroics, once they're past run like hell"

They ran ahead and took up position, Blaze again looking over Tyson's shoulder as he had done with Falco. Falco felt very vulnerable, his side was open down a corridor. He would have to watch two directions. Then he heard running feet and a few shots. He held his gun ready as the others came into view. The way Silver hung on to Salty's shoulder it was obvious she was hit. They were bunched close together, Falco wondered how they hadn't had more casualties. Then as they drew closer Falco realised Lupus was limping as he turned back to fire. The others chose that moment to open fire. Several rapid cracks and the higher note of Tyson's blaster. A surprised yell from the pursuers then amazingly a call to withdraw. Falco couldn't believe his luck. He ran with Tyson and Blaze after the others. Blaze reached Lupus and practically lifted him. Salty swerved round a few corners then seemingly remarkably quickly they were at the docking bay. They ran through the door designated as the shuttle and the exercise was over.

The six of them stood panting in the bright outfitting room.

"Well that was fun!" Lupus said as Blaze let him go. Mildly he moved his newly freed leg "I'll never get used to that paralysis thing"

Salty panting more heavily than the rest found his voice between gasps "This-is-why-I… wanted–to–be–a mechanic"

Falco noticed Blaze and Lupus again exchange a nervous glance. Falco smiled and put his hand on Salty's slouched shoulder.

"You did good Salt'"

"Really?" he gasped

Falco nodded. Then looked up "Everyone ok?"

"Yeah" Lupus said "just a flesh wound, apparently"

"Me too" Silver said

There were nods from the rest of them.

"Good. Mission complete, I think."

"You took a big risk going after Tyson"

Falco's voice was stern "I don't leave team members behind Pepper. If you don't like that get someone else" Falco's voice softened "Although I wouldn't put the others in danger, that's why I left Blaze hidden… If we hadn't had a good chance I would have left him. I suppose this is different… back ho- with Star Fox we were all willing to risk _a lot _ to help one another. It seemed to work for us." Falco looked up "I'll be more careful next time" He sighed "I agree it probably was stupid… Maybe I'm not cracked up for this"

Pepper chuckled "I never said it was the wrong decision. You saved him didn't you?"

"Yeah… but if I'd screwed up they wouldn't have had an escort" Falco groaned "Ugh I fucked it up!"

"Your strike team is alive and the target was destroyed. Sounds like mission accomplished to me. Besides I heard you when you reached Tyson. You assessed the scene and wouldn't have gone in if you couldn't win"

"But anything could have happened to the others!"

"Anything could have happened to them with or without you. If they were caught when you weren't there you could have helped them. The ones chasing them might have caught them if you hadn't set up to stop them. Look Falco one thing I learnt as a commander was not to start second guessing myself, trust your first instincts, they're usually the right ones"

Falco looked at him "Did you learn that from James or did you teach him that?"

Pepper smiled "if anything this _training exercise _has preformed a more important function. The team _trust_ you. They believe you will get them through it. Believing someone is watching your back is powerful encouragement. You've shown them how to be a team. That's what it is to be a team-helping each other." Pepper chuckled "_You_ also learned how to make yourself into an authority figure." He smiled "if I'd have been out there, I'd have done what you said… you're scary when you get the bit between your teeth." Pepper laughed "I wonder where you get that from…"

"No teeth" Falco mumbled _"please… I don't want father's temper…" _

Fox found fighting Slippy not nearly as much fun as fighting Falco, mainly because he felt guilty about hitting him. Slippy on the other hand didn't seem to have any qualms about hitting _him_. Slippy was an entirely different challenge to Falco. The biggest problem with Falco was actually catching him. Slippy was stronger, despite his tiny size and harmless appearance he could pack quite a punch. He seemed to be fighting with unusual ferocity today Fox thought as he again laid pinned to the ground, the wooden sticks they were training with pressed against his neck.

"Slippy 3-Fox 2" Peppy said leaning through the hatch into their combat training area.

"Alright that's it no more Mr Nice Fox" he said standing up. Slippy grinned at him panting and gripping the stick more tightly.

A bell rang and they were at it again. Slippy swung the stick low to try and take out Fox's feet, he jumped it and brought the stick in on Slippy's shoulder and down his back, knocking him to the ground. Fox thought he'd had him beaten when the pole came round and hit him in the side of his knee, making him stagger and yelp in pain. Angrily he brought the stick down on Slippy's head who still lay on the ground. Slippy cried out and then Fox was aware of Peppy shouting.

"Hey that's enough! I told you one body hit for a win." Peppy took the pole from Fox from behind "Slippy you were beaten, you shouldn't have struck Fox again." his voice turned more angry as he looked at Fox "But you should know better than to hit him in the head. The last thing I need is to be explaining is why you have brain damage. Of course you pair don't seem to be bothering to use your brains anyway"

Fox looked like he was about to say something.

"Its ok Peppy I'm alright" Slippy said sitting up. Without taking angry eyes from Peppy Fox offered Slippy a hand to his feet, which he accepted.

"I can spare a few brain cells, unlike Foxy" Fox waved a warning fist, which Slippy laughed at and poked his tongue out.

Peppy sighed "That's enough combat training for today" he said taking both sticks and walking off.

Fox rolled his eyes at Peppy's back "Anybody would think we were still kids the way he treats us, you'd have thought by now we'd be able to referee our own training"

"well, you know how sometimes things get carried away…Its best to have someone there to make sure no-one gets hurt"

Fox just grunted "I can't do anything right at the moment, _everything's _my fault, jezz if Corneria disappeared he'd blame it on me!"

"If you could make Corneria disappear, I'd respect you" Slippy chuckled.

Fox shook his head "So what'd we do now?"

Falco stood at the front of the Strike team. He pushed Salty and Silver behind him, but he knew there was no way he could protect them all. They were being surrounded by enemies, guns all pointing at them. Then there were cries, and Falco was standing alone, in a place he'd never seen before, a podium covered in grass, sitting in the middle of a silent swamp with stinking mist rising from it. Buildings rose from the water, the markings on them… almost… tribal? With a sudden feeling of terror he looked up. Fox hung from a pole, his fur matted with his blood, his head lolling to one side, eyes rolling, gasping for breath, stabbed repeatedly and left to die. Falco ran forward to him, to help him. Andross stepped out from behind the pole brandishing a spear dripping with blood.

"Andross? How…" Falco asked sliding to a halt

Andross laughed his vile laugh as a new figure stepped from the shadows. An Avion figure. Falco was perhaps more afraid of him than any other.

"You never were very smart were you _Falcy_? You must have gotten that from your mother's side"

That voice, that… man… no, not a man, a monster. Falco surged with anger. How dare he hurt Fox, as though he had a right to even touch him. He saw red. He surged forward, nothing but anger and aggression. Something purple struck him from the side, he flew through the air screaming, away from Fox.

"Now you're flying, are you happy filthy Wanderer?" That sly voice asked clearly in his mind. A voice he hated and feared at the same time.

"Aaaaarrrrhhhhhg"

Falco hit the floor hard; Salty screamed and sat up in bed. The lights came on. Salty stared at the floor where Falco lay in a heap face down. Falco's senses having come back to him a little finally found his voice again.

"Oww!" He moaned indignantly and rolled onto his back, blinking in the light.

"Falco do you want to give me heart failure in the middle of the night?" Salty asked his breathing quick, but not as fast as Falco's.

"S-Sorry Salty" Falco mumbled

"And I thought Remir's snoring was bad" Salty chuckled "You alright?"

Falco stood up shakily rubbing his beak "I think I'll live"

Salty laughed "That's what you _always_ say!..."

Falco lent against his arms and head against own bunk so he looked down on where Salty sat.

"I know you had a nightmare that time… You look awful… What was it about?"

Falco felt ill. Salty looked up at him concern on his face. The nightmare would have been bad enough, but this one _felt_ different, felt wrong, more real. It felt like a premonition. Fox had looked so… Falco was aware Salty was staring at him.

"Falco should I call the medic?"

"No! No… I'm alright" he forced himself to smile "I landed on my head, I'm just a little stunned"

Salty smiled but remained silent. He watched as Falco climbed wearily back into his bunk. He waited until the shuffling had subsided before speaking.

"You sure you're ok?"

"Yes" Falco yawned rolling over and suppressing an uneasy shudder. The idea of going back to sleep again was not a pleasant one.

"Alright…" Salty mumbled and turned off the lights.

Falco lay on his side in the dark, his eyes wide open, unable to see anything. Even with his eyes open images from the nightmare flashed across his mind, making him shake slightly. They brought back all the wrong memories. He wondered what the dream meant. He just knew he had a really bad feeling about the mission, and for some reason, the Federation as a whole. Falco missed Peppy; this was the kind of thing he would talk to him about. He'd only had dreams like these one or two times before, back then he'd told Peppy and Peppy alone. Fox would have laughed at him, and Slippy would probably have worried. What frightened him was that the last two times he'd felt like this he'd been right. The first time had been with Peppy, he'd dreamt that he'd been injured in a serious crash, that in itself wasn't unusual, it was the vividness and the feeling that had made it different. He could remember being inconsolable, waking believing Peppy to be dying… 3 days later they had a combat mission. And the team had never come so close to loosing a member. The second time had involved a civilian airliner… and a midair collision. He'd put it down to coincidence or self-fulfilling prophesy. Falco pushed the dreams aside with those thoughts now.

_"They mean nothing. Andross is dead. You trust Fox don't you? Andross is dead, Fox made certain of that!"_

His heart eased, though only a little Falco closed his eyes. From the sound of Salty's breathing it seemed he'd fallen asleep again, Falco was glad to know he hadn't disturbed him too much. Falco lay there for a long time thinking mostly of… home.

"Whoa Falco you look wrecked!" Was Lupus' cheerful greeting the following morning as he and Salty entered the canteen. A cold shower had done nothing to help shake off the weariness Falco felt, it seemed to cling to his soul, wrapping around him like an uneasy blanket. He felt physically and emotionally drained. Salty beside him was laughing.

"Falco woke me up last night screamin' his head off and doing a kamikaze out of the top bunk!"

Falco felt himself grow hot with embarrassment. He stopped walking.

"He looked like a bird that had flown into a window pane! It-" Salty stopped aware Falco wasn't by his side. For the first time he noticed his mortified expression. The rest of the strike team burst into laughter. Falco felt a lump catch in his throat. He looked from one member to the other. They were _all_ laughing at him. Turning his back on them he stormed towards the canteen to get some breakfast. Salty stared after him.

"Wha- Falco wait!" Salty called, Falco either didn't hear or was ignoring him. Confused Salty turned to the rest, they were laughing all the more. Salty found Silver, who was laughing slightly less than the rest and pleaded with her for help. She made a face. Tyson walked straight past Salty then, a snide grin on his face, heading to where Falco was. At that Silver's expression fell. She watched with mounting unease as Tyson strode up beside Falco.

"Hey, little Lombardi's having bad dreams, gunna cry for mummy?"

Falco felt his hands tighten around the breakfast try. His insides burnt with fury, Tyson had no idea. He wanted nothing more than to hit him. He stepped sideways along the queue trying hard to keep his anger in check; again he didn't want his father's temper.

"Aw come on Lombardi gunna have your teddy bear… mummy, mummy the bogyman's coming to get me!" Tyson mocked.

Falco turned round slowly, only just keeping his balled fists from Tyson.

"Fuck off Tyson" He said as evenly as he could.

"Oh touchy, touchy! Who you gunna get to fight your battles, mummy's not here"

_"Mummy's not been here since I was eight" _"I don't need anyone to fight my battles for me. I warn you Tyson you're picking a fight with the wrong guy. I've taken older, stronger and _much_ wiser people than you."

"Oh I'm _so_ scared"

"You don't know what it is to be afraid"

"You gunna show me Lombardi? Come on bring it on"

For a moment Falco was tempted, he knew which Canite bones were weak; he'd broken Fox's jaw. But this was the Army…

"Get a life Tyson!" Lupus' voice. Falco felt Silver by his side

"Leave it" she said softly, only to him, touching his hand. Falco's anger dispersed, he looked around, Tyson was outnumbered, the strike team had rallied around him, and secretly he was grateful, despite what people liked to believe he was a team player, he felt vulnerable alone.

"There's no need to get your fur in a knot Kelly. We were just playin', weren't we Lombardi?"

Falco scowled at him. To his relief Tyson backed off.

_"I came here to get _away_ from people like Fox… Wait… I prefer Fox, now that's saying something" _Falcosighed _"Some commander I'm going to be" _

"Touched a bone didn't he?" Falco jumped out of his thoughts "I never seen you look so angry" Silver asked softly, still by his side

"Yeah…" Falco sighed "Still a particularly painful one"

"Our generation are know as the orphans of the Federation… there's a lot of truth in what they say… Tyson knows that, and doesn't seem to care about stepping on other people's tails"

Pain resonated from somewhere deep within Falco, suddenly he wasn't so hungry.

"There's been so much war in my lifetime… it seems to be all I've ever known" He looked up at her "and it isn't getting any better. Its always the wrong people who die. The bastards that deserve it always seem to get away with their hideous hides intact"

Silver turned her head on one side and just looked at him for a moment "Yes…" She finally sighed "Like my parents"

Falco turned to her "Sorry I didn't know"

Silver shook her head "You weren't to… they were Army transport pilots. They were killed when I was fourteen"

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be… these things happen, I'm just one of a million others" They turned to head back to where the rest of the team, minus Tyson, who had made himself scarce sat. "just look at our team, we really are the orphans of the Federation. Kind of ironic that we all ended up in the Army when it was war that took our families away… most of us anyway. I don't know about you… or a couple of others. I guess Tyson was on the streets for a reason"

"No-one would be there by choice" Falco said sitting down

"Where?" Lupus asked

"Nowhere" Falco forced a smile

"The streets" Silver answered for him.

"Why you talkin' about that?" Blaze asked

"We were talking about Tyson-"

"Don't tell me you feel sorry for that idiot" Lupus growled "He's nothing more than a dirty, petty street thief, and not a particularly good one at that. Why the army let him in I don't know-"

"Hey! Not all thieves are bad people!" Falco growled at him furiously "Not everyone has the benefit of a cushy childhood"

"Yeah Falco? Me included, and I don't act like that. I'd never stoop so low as to be a street thief-"

"Some people don't have the luxury of that choice!"

"I can't believe you're defending _Tyson_!"

"I'm not defending Tyson I'm-"

"Would you two knock it off?" Blaze said evenly "The rest of us are tired of listening to you bicker. You're both angry at Tyson, _not_ each other. For goodness sake just shut up!"

Falco and Lupus looked at one another. Realising Blaze was right Lupus actually laughed. Falco looked down feeling thoroughly dejected and ashamed. Ashamed both of his past and his reaction.

"We're idiots aren't we?" Lupus asked him

Falco looked up.

"Having a bloody bitch fight in public" Lupus laughed. Falco's sentiment broke and he had to laugh, shaking his head.

"Yeah" he agreed "But that's what being in a team's all about. You're not friends without the occasional fight!"

"Spoken with experience?" Silver asked coyly

"Oh yeah! When Star Fox isn't dealing with one crisis or another we're always at each other's throats. It turned into a form of entertainment, at least between me and Fox anyway"

"Love hate relationship, like you said?" Salty offered. To which Blaze and Lupus burst into laughter, Silver tired but failed to suppress it.

"What'd I say"

"Don't worry Salty" Falco said through laughter, his head in his hands.

"I don't- oh wait…" Salty too started to giggle.

"What we doing today? If everyone's finished making fun of my social life?" Falco asked over their laughter.

"I'd rather laugh at your social life thanks" Lupus giggled

"Same as yesterday" Silver answered his question

"Except me, I've go to work on fitting you and Tyson's Arwings with the cloak this afternoon"

"You get out of infiltration practise… _bastard!_" Lupus moaned

Another boring morning was spent in the firing ranges, much like the evening before, and every other session in them, so much so that Falco actually relished the idea of more infiltration training in the afternoon. He went through more guns than he could count in his quest to ease the boredom, but blowing targets to pieces didn't seem to be nearly as much fun as it had when he'd been younger.

"Oh bollocks!" Falco slammed the blaster down on the hip high wall in front of him.

"What's up Falcs you miss?" Silver asked

"No" Silver raised an eyebrow and fired her last bullet at the target "my history essay was due in today"

Silver poked her head round the dividing wall into Falco's compartment.

"History…" she said doubtfully frowning at him. she smiled "Falco are you playing with me?"

"No" Falco said looking hurt. "I was doing a course in it. The deadline for my third essay was tonight. Giant bollocks! I'll have to retake the whole thing now"

He sighed and went to put the blaster back on the rack, Silver followed him.

"You never struck me as the history type"

Falco shrugged and looked thoughtfully at the weapons rack. He pulled down a portable rocket launcher and slung it over his shoulder grinning in a way that made Silver very nervous. She backed away from him a little as he walked past her to the firing range. Falco sent the target to the back of the room. He looked down the gun's length ignoring the scope.

"No scope? You must be a good shot… Or overconfident"

Falco flicked his eyes back to look at her briefly.

"Hawk eyes" was all he said before bracing himself against the recoil and firing the rocket. It screamed away and struck the target blowing it to pieces.

"Shit!!" Blaze shouted, Silver heard him drop his rifle.

"We under attack?" Salty asked

There was silence for a moment until the team realised what had happened. Lupus trotted to where Falco stood holding the launcher, a sheepish grin across his face.

"Who pissed you off?" he asked looking at the smoking wreckage that used to be the target. Falco just grinned at him.

"That feels better, nothing like mindless destruction of CA property to blow off some steam"

"Too right" Blaze shouted firing a few shots off his rifle, then he came to stand with them.

"Come on, time's up" Lupus said putting his gun back on the rack. Gratefully Falco followed.

"Whoa Falco this stuff is ancient!" Salty cried his voice echoing from inside the Arwing "What the hell… is this tin foil?" Salty asked pulling a piece of metal out of his Arwing's innards. Falco wandered over

"Probably. Slippy was getting real good at doing things on the cheap by the time I left"

Salty made an almost appalled face "Cheap is one thing but this might be going a little too far. I wouldn't send anyone on a round trip to the moon in a ship like this, let alone out on combat"

For a moment Falco was irritated "I've always trusted Slippy's work. He's always been thorough where our safety's concerned. He's not above grounding an Arwing that's not fit for the job. But you have to bear in mind we work on a limited budget, he has to make do with a lot less than the ideal most of the time"

"Well I'd have used my savings to patch this thing up. The whole engine looks like it needs a complete refurbishment"

Falco came to peer over his shoulder.

"She's always done me fine this old bird" he lay an affectionate hand on its wing "Never let me down… We've had our little scrapes" Falco held out his arms "but I'm still here. There's nothing wrong with Slippy's work" Falco said firmly.

"No, I suppose not…" Salty put his hand back inside "That stuff had fallen off one of the power relays, so I guess it wasn't tin foil. I stand corrected." Salty looked up "how old is this one anyway?"

"Umm… I'm not sure… I think it was one of the spares when James was still in the team so… she must be at least 10 year old"

Salty whistled "She's not in bad nick for that age"

"I think she's had most of her hull plating changed over the years though, there isn't much of the original left" Falco smiled "And I've crashed her at least five times!"

"At least, what you don't remember?" Lupus asked coming over with Silver and Blaze.

Falco shrugged "Do you remember how many times you've been shot?"

"I lost count after ten" Blaze said

"You including armour hits"

"Yeah"

"Then no"

"Most of the time when I crash I bang my head… so I don't remember much about anything" Falco chuckled "Who are you again?"

"Very funny"

"So how many flights this bird seen?" Salty asked, his voice echoing from inside one of the inspection panels.

"How the hell should I know?"

"So how many Arwings have you got?" Blaze asked mildly

"Seven, if you count the two-seat. That's 1 each and 2 spares for emergencies. Believe it or not we're flying the best four. We really need to buy some new ones…"

Salty looked round "Tell me this is the oldest"

"Nope. Peppy's is. He's using the old secondary one from back when James and Pigma flew. He lost the one he was in when they went to venom of course but the one he's in is from the same batch. I think Fox's is the newest; we got Slippy's second-hand after he banged up the last one. "

Salty stared at him "Why the hell haven't you bought some new ones!"

"They don't come cheap! We have been saving for some new ones, last time we nearly had enough Great Fox decided she needed an engine job. That was two years ago. We haven't come close again since"

"Well I for one won't let you take this Arwing out of here without patching it up. You may as well have a few freebies courtesy of the Cornerian Army." Salty smiled shrewdly at him "You'll be then envy of the others when you go back!"

"Oh that'll get up Fox's nose!" Falco laughed "What you doing to it"

"Well she's already better than the standard Arwings… Even if Slippy's modifications were a little… unconventional. But with the Army budget and my special touch I should be able to get you 3 times the shields, double the power of your hyper lasers… bigger bomb capacity, I'll soop up the speed, you should get almost double what you have now… oh yeah and the cloak of course. I do that and you'll have the best Arwing in the fleet, even if she is 10 year old. I know you'd be loathed to part with her"

"Yeah, she's my baby"

Silver, Blaze and Lupus burst into laughter.

"Your baby?!" Lupus laughed "Creepy…"

"I've heard of pilots getting attached to their ships but that's ridiculous!" Silver said

"Don't you have a favourite shuttle?" Falco asked

"No, I've never flown the same one more than twice. Don't get the chance when you're in the Army"

"Oh. Well Blaze you have a favourite gun don't you? It's just the same for me"

"Yeah I suppose" Blaze said "Hey what have you painted on the side?"

Falco waked down and stood next to the cockpit, intrigued the rest followed. Falco pointed at a circular symbol encasing a flying bird and two wings crossing.

"That's the emblem of the Wandering Alliance" he pointed at a triangular design cut into four segments "That's my lucky charm" then he pointed to text "That's my name in Avion… Falco "RedEye" Lombardi"

"Why RedEye?" Silver asked

Falco pointed at his face. "This isn't normal, where I have red is normally green." He chuckled "I was some sort of genetic accident. I just kind of acquired the nickname, it wasn't always a nice one, it just depended who called me it. But in the first real… team I ran with their leader used to call me RedEye, and that was ok. It just sort of stuck."

Silver shrugged. "come on, the rest of us have to be in the main hall in ten minutes"

Groaning the rest of the team except for Lupus and Falco followed her out the door.

Looking back at Salty briefly Lupus spoke

"I can't understand why you like bunny-boy so much" he said light-heartedly

"He's like Slippy and Peppy rolled into one"

"Slippy was like that?... No wonder you left!"

Falco smiled and watched Salty toy with the ship. One of the power relays sparked.

"Ouch!" he said to himself and sucked one of his fingers

"Yeah, he's exactly like Slippy" Falco chuckled to himself before following Lupus out the door.

The five of them moved slowly, pressed up against the wall. Silver was so close at Falco's side he could hear her breathing. He looked across to Lupus and Tyson against the opposite wall, signalling them to be quiet. There were guards stationed just beyond the T junction they were approaching. Motioning for the others to remain where they were Falco cautiously peered around the corner. A group of four guards stood down the corridor, fortunately looking away. Falco heard footsteps, all of a sudden Tyson was in the middle of the corridor firing at the guards.

"Tyson! Everybody now!" Falco shouted, leading the others into the attack, being left with no other choice. A fierce gun battle ensued.

Once it was over Falco grabbed Tyson and shoved him up against a wall.

"I did not give you the command to attack!" Falco stared at him angrily "Why are you so reckless?!"

"I don't have anything to loose"

Tyson's words made Falco feel as though he'd swallowed a lump of ice. He could remember telling Peppy the same thing when he'd asked _him_ that question.

"Besides, it worked didn't it" Tyson's tone of voice brought back Falco's anger.

"But it might not have. You could have gotten someone else killed. Regardless of whether you value your own skin it doesn't give you the right to risk anyone else's! Get behind me." Falco let Tyson go and walked off.

Fortunately no alarm was raised and the rest of the mission was a success, aside from Silver receiving a blaster wound to her abdomen on the way out and needing to be carried by Blaze. The mission report said she would have survived, just about, but it made Falco nervous…

Tyson's attitude problem followed him out of the simulator. Falco could hear him muttering to as they walked along the corridor. Finally he could stand it no longer.

"Why don't you lot carry on, we'll catch you up"

"We will not"

Falco turned on Tyson "You're under my command, you'll do as you're told"

Tyson swore at him under his breath, but Falco ignored him.

"Go on" he said to the others. They walked off, except Silver, who lingered for a moment, but a look from Falco sent her on her way.

"Come on, in here" Falco opened the door into a side room that seemed to be a small classroom.

"What Lombardi, you're going to beat me up in private?"

Falco laughed "I'm not gunna hit you Tyson. Come on you're bigger than me, and if you're anything like Fox, stronger too, I'm not _that_ stupid. I just want to talk to you."

Bemused Tyson followed Falco into the classroom. Falco hopped up onto one of the desks before speaking again.

"How long have you been in the army?"

"Nearly six years _sir_." he said harshly

"Including your three years in the academy right? And don't call me sir"

"Yes" Tyson's eyes flashed angrily

"Mmm. Tyson, I've been doing assassinations since before you knew what the word meant… hell I've been doing them since before _I_ knew what it meant. And you want to know a secret, if you haven't already worked it out. I'm younger than you are."

"So what, all the more reason I should have gotten command"

Falco shook his head almost helplessly "Squadrons are anonymous aren't they, you don't have to be close to anyone." Falco sighed "I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, and I also know its not all that easy to take orders from someone younger and smaller than you are. In fact, I don't want it to be like that, I don't want to have to pull rank to get you to do as I ask. I'd much rather if we could be friends"

Tyson just snorted.

"Because were not so very different you and I"

"Bollocks, we couldn't be any _more_ different!"

Falco made a face. "I'm not so sure. My army personnel record isn't all that accurate. In _all_ my records there are big gaps"

"So what! There's gaps in my records too, about eight years worth from when I was on the streets!"

"Exactly."

Tyson continued as though he hadn't heard "And don't you even pretend to know what that's like. You can't possibly understand what that does to you. The way people look at you!"

Falco said nothing, he decided to let Tyson say what he needed to.

"How people treat you like dirt. They all assume you're something you're not and don't even give you a chance to be anything else. So you may as well just be what they expect, it's easier. No-one gives a damn, so long as you don't get in their way!"

"Life on the streets _is_ tough, but you have to let it go, that's not who you are anymore"

"What the hell would you know about it?" Tyson shouted.

"More than you might imagine" Falco said from where he perched on the edge of the table, doing his best to keep his voice calm and casual.

"Bullshit! You've always had a place to go home to; you've never sat out in the rain every night in some gutter."

"No, it was a bridge." Tyson stopped shouting suddenly. He stared at Falco, who looked back at him evenly. "I wont pretend it lasted nearly as long for me as it did for you, or could have been as awful. But it still happened, and it still changed me. We all have our secrets Tyson… some of us more than others. I know what those looks feel like." Falco picked at a loose thread on his jacket cuff "So what were you saying about me not understanding?"

"I don't believe you" Tyson said, but with less venom this time, less conviction.

"Then what can I say?" Falco raised an eyebrow "Sounds to me you don't want anyone to understand… That's fine by me if it's how you want it." Falco looked up, anger spreading across his face for the first time "But I'll tell you one thing Tyson, for me the streets were safer than home."

"Then they can't have been the _real_ streets" Tyson said angrily. Falco tilted his head on one side then looked down.

"Certainly felt like it, the concrete was hard, the nights were cold, so cold you wondered if you were going to wake up in the morning. It felt fairly real when the older ones talked about "_road kill" _when members didn't come back - and I saw that first hand, or when they brought home our girls when the men went too far." Falco snapped the piece of thread he'd been playing with. "I knew _exactly_ what I was doing every time I put a crowbar through someone's window." Falco looked up anger again in his eyes "So _don't_ tell me I don't understand"

Tyson just stared at him, uncertain as to what to say. Falco held his eyes, until finally Tyson broke away.

"You didn't seem the type" Tyson mumbled.

Falco stood up and stretched "What does a StreetRunner look like?" Tyson just shrugged in response "Do you want some dinner then or not, foul as army food is?" Tyson frowned at him then relented and sighed "Alright"

"Good, good I could eat a dinosaur, I'm starving" Falco led the way out of the room, at the door he paused and looked around at Tyson. "I'd appreciate it if no-one found out about our little discussion ok?"

"Ok…Falco" Tyson still looked shocked. Falco smiled gratefully at him and pushed open the door

"Thanks"

As they walked along the corridor in silence Falco made a mental note to thank Peppy for his displays of psychology.

When they arrived back in the Meeting Room Silver was waiting for them, twiddling her bracelet round her arm nervously. She seemed enormously relieved that they both had all their limbs intact and still sticking out at the right angles when they arrived. She had obviously been expecting a fight. Falco was secretly hurt that she didn't think better of him. He and Tyson approached the table the others were all gathered round. Tyson frowned at what Salty, Blaze and Lupus were eating.

"Mm you're right Falco, army food does suck, I never noticed before. I think I'll stick to the vegetarian option tonight, might be safer"

"This _is_ the vegetarian option!" Lupus said poking at the green brown sludge with his fork.

"Ugh!" Falco said looking at it; he was sure he saw the strange substance on Lupus' plate blow a bubble at him.

"I'd rather eat the stuff growing under my bed. Never mind a Falco, we've had worse" He gave Falco a meaningful look before walking off towards the canteen, Falco went to follow him but Silver stooped him by touching his arm.

"What did you say to him?" She asked. Falco watched Tyson in the queue.

"I reminded him he wasn't alone" he said thoughtfully, then Falco turned to her and smiled "Have you eaten already?"

"No I was waiting for you two"

"I don't know why you bothered" Falco said smiling, Silver just shrugged.

The meal was even worse than Falco had been expecting. He had gone for the vegetarian option as the meat dish looked as though it was still moving. Falco stared hopelessly at it. The "stew" as they had called it looked as though it had already been eaten at least once. Falco poked it carefully with his fork, almost expecting it to bite back; he was greatly relieved when it didn't.

"Well" Falco said "I think I've finally found something worse than Fox McCloud's cooking"

"If Fox's cooking was like this I don't blame you for leaving" Lupus chuckled.

"Oh yeah, Fox's cooking was the stuff of legends! Between the hair and the burnt there's nothing like it" Falco looked down "or so I thought"

Laughing with the rest of then Tyson pinched his nose and took a bite. He chewed for a moment then acted out collapsing onto the table.

"Oh no Tyson's dead!" Blaze cried in mock alarm.

"Ne'er mind" Lupus said casually.

"Hey!" Tyson said sitting up and pulling a hurt face, which made everyone, including him laugh.

Later as they ate, the food didn't taste so bad, provided you didn't look at it too hard, Silver spoke quietly to Falco.

"Whatever you did, it worked" She said watching Tyson, who seemed to be telling Salty a story of some sort. Falco nodded.

"Yeah and I didn't have to hit him once!" He said sarcastically. Silver frowned at him. Falco rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't, I don't hit people on the same side, no matter how annoying they are… with the exception of Fox, but he doesn't count" Falco grinned widely

Silver watched him "I knew something more happened when you left"

Falco almost choked, he was left coughing so that all the team's eyes were suddenly on him.

"God this stuff is bad!" He managed to splutter. Most of the others laughed and went back to what they were doing; Tyson sat by Falco's side gave him a playful slap on the back. Silver's eyes however remained locked on him.

"Talk" She said and poked at her dinner thoughtfully

"Err what can I say… um no" Falco said roughly

"What happened?"

"That's none of your business" Falco growled and half turned his back on her.

"Suit yourself" Silver said, sounding a little hurt.

After a moment Falco's guilt got the better of him

"sorry Silv' I didn't mean to snap at you"

She smiled at him "That's ok… everyone's getting annoyed with each other today… Its been a long day…"

"Yeah"

The next day the date of the mission was announced, alarmed Falco found it was a lot closer than he'd been expecting, they had only a few days left. The announcement sent ripples through Spectre Strike as they all had to mentally prepare themselves for the mission much faster than they would have liked. The final details were organised, the docking bay selected and all intelligence gathered and collaborated to give them the best possible chance. The bomb was ordered from the munitions department. The modifications to Falco's and Tyson's Arwings were hastily finished… everything was falling into place.

The team's training exercises seemed to take on a more sombre note. Gone was the laughter and the joking that used to epitomise their lessons and for which in their short history Spectre Strike became known. The six of them knuckled down to their work, forging themselves into a team. Even Tyson seemed willing to toe the line. They quickly came to trust and rely on each other as they became one unit, under Falco's command.

Silver endlessly practiced her shuttle approach routine. Tyson, Lupus, Falco and Blaze shoot at increasingly distant targets with their sniper riffles, until they took to taking pot-shots at each other. Salty spent more and more time in the docking bay tinkering with every last little component of his cloak. Salty hastily taught each member of the team the basics for repairing the cloak. Every day the sick feeling in Falco's chest grew stronger, and the more he longed for Peppy, and home.

The final run through the infiltration hall went better than anyone could have hoped. Especially considering in the previous attempt the team had been ambushed and all killed. This time Spectre Strike lived up to their name and swept through unnoticed, planted the bomb and were nearly back to the shuttle bay before anyone even got a whiff of their scent. They were clear in record time. Silently removing the laser armour suit Falco unlike the others was not celebrating, he was far from reassured. He knew there was a lot to go wrong…

Later that night the six of them met up in the docking bay.

"Whoa you scrub up nice!" Tyson called to Silver who was wearing a pale pink top and flared purple jeans rather than her usual baggy army gear. Falco was again reminded of how pretty she really was.

"Shame about you Scruff" She retorted, referring to Tyson's torn leather jacket, and t-shirt that looked to be at least 1size too big for him.

"I hate team photos" Falco heard Lupus groan to Blaze as they walked in together.

"Team photo?" Falco asked, no-one had told him that was what the meeting was for. He suddenly felt underdressed in what he's been wearing most of the day, his grey Star Fox jacket with the wings still pinned to the collar and black trousers.

"I suddenly feel underdressed" Falco said sideling up to Silver.

"Nah you're not. I think you'd look handsome no matter what you were wearing!"

"Oh really?" Falco asked raising an eyebrow.

Silver blushed "You know what I meant!"

Falco smiled at her "Why do you take that from him?" Falco asked looking over at Tyson where he sat on the wing of his Arwing, waiting for it to be loaded into the back of the shuttle "He acts like you're an object" Falco shook his head "I couldn't stand that"

Silver chuckled "He's only playing. Actually I think Tyson's kinda cute"

"You must be crazy! You'd probably like Fox then, I'll introduce you when this is over"

"Cool" Silver grinned "As long as I get to go with you…" she mumbled softly turning away.

"What?"

"Nothing"

At that moment General Pepper came in to the bay.

"Good evening everyone!" He said cheerfully waving off their hasty attempt at salutes. After a moment's trivialities he shepherded them all to stand in a suitable position for the photo.

"Come on _Smile! _Tyson would it hurt you to look cheerful just this once?" Pepper asked peering over the camera. His scowl said it would. Pepper shook his head and sighed

"Fair enough Tyson" He grinned "Everyone else smile"

"Watch the birdie!" Falco cried, Lupus laughed just as the flashbulb went off

"Ah! I'm blind!" Silver said blinking

"Ugh I'm seeing little white dots, that's not good is it?" Lupus asked squeezing his eyes shut

"If you go blind can we leave you behind tomorrow?" Blaze asked.

The team responded only with a forced chuckle. Pepper came up to them

"Try to get some sleep now, everyone. Goodnight" Pepper said shooing them away from the shuttle towards the barracks.

"Yes sir" A few mumbled and walked off towards their bunks.

Late that night they all received a copy of that photo.

The team all had their own ways of preparing for a mission. Blaze read, Lupus and Tyson forced themselves to sleep, Salty read a magazine and at one point was caught singing by Falco. Falco stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking of what he would do when he got home again and wondering what he would say to Peppy. Silver took the time to write her thoughts in her diary.

That night the six of them drifted uneasily to sleep, all fearful of what the next day would bring…


	3. Part 3: The Behemoth

Part 3:

THE BEHEMOTH

"_In times of trouble a second can stretch to an eternity"_

"Good luck Commander Lombardi" Falco blinked, for a moment confused. It would take him a long time to get used to being addressed with a rank. He didn't salute, Star Fox never did, instead he just inclined his head slightly.

"Thank you sir. We'll see you at the victory dance"

Pepper smiled then turned to the rest of the team.

"Good luck and swift speed to you all _Spectre Strike_"

Blaze, Silver and Lupus saluted, Salty just nodded his head nervously and Tyson pretended not to hear.

"Come on then boys, lets get this over with" Falco paused and turned to Silver grinning "Sorry, force of habit"

Silver just grinned and walked at Falco's side as he led the team into the shuttle. The six of them moved almost mechanically to their assigned positions. Falco and Silver strapped into the pilots seats, Blaze and Lupus took seats at the back, Tyson strapping into the gunner's position. Salty checked the Arwings were well stowed and ran a final visual check on the various systems responsible for the cloak.

"Check in everyone" Falco said

"Blaze ready"

"Lupus strapped in, nice and tight!"

"Ready as always!" Tyson, who else?

Falco looked back to see Salty scamper for a vacant seat. "Arwings secured. All systems go" he pulled the restraint harness on "And I'm ready too"

"This is shuttle Spectre, all systems prepped and ready to go, asking permission to leave" Silver said

A new voice over the comm. "Permission granted Spectre. Follow shipping lane delta to exit corridor Archaic. A path has been cleared for you... Good luck."

"Thank you Cornerian Control, will follow lane delta and exit through Archaic. Spectre out"

"Roger Spectre, have a pleasant flight."

Falco laughed quietly "Pleasant flight..."

Silver beside him smiled "Protocol"

Gently Silver eased the shuttle up off the deck and out of the hanger, with the immense patience that characterised a shuttle pilot. She pulled it up and a way and joined the invisible empty road in the sky.

"Oh well that's it, we're on out own now" Blaze mused.

"You worry too much!" Tyson said and stretched in his seat, leaning back as though preparing for a nap.

"Only until the Angels get here" Falco reminded them.

"Yeah..."

Silver pulled the shuttle upwards, Falco turned round to watch.

"Now leaving Cornerian atmosphere. The sooner we can get off the shipping lanes the better." Silver said.

"Nice and casual remember, the last thing we want is pirates or Wolves!"

"Yeah that would screw things up nicely" Lupus laughed.

"Oh come on with me on cannons, they don't stand a chance!" Tyson said.

"You never quit do you?"

"Nope!"

"Never give up... Stand tall be, strong and... never give up" Falco mused thoughtfully under his breath.

"What?" Sliver beside him asked.

"Oh nothing, just something Peppy used to say"

The shuttle glided slowly away from the Cornerian atmosphere. Falco looked around at the team. Tyson it seemed really had decided to take a nap. Lupus and Blaze were both unusually silent, their faces set in determined lines of concentration, both of them thinking of the mission, replaying their roles in their minds, thinking now of what would go right, hoping for the best, after the endless preparations for what could go wrong. Salty was on his feet running one check or another on the Arwings, his hand running carefully over every contour of the ships, checking for anything that might be amiss. Silver's eyes were fixed firmly ahead, her mind also on the mission. Falco sighed and closed his eyes. Thought over the whole mission, remembered his sniper training, he tried his best to relax, release the nervous tension from his muscles, for this last little while before he would go into the bullring....

Falco opened his eyes again; he looked round at the nervous faces, at least, everyone except Tyson, who pretended not to be afraid, though at least he appeared to be awake now. Lupus checked his gun for what felt like the hundredth time. Salty simply rested his hand on one of the Arwing's noses now, looking towards the bay doors at the back of the shuttle, thinking quietly to himself. Blaze checked the bomb components were firmly in his bag. The mood had changed, it was low and nervous, the tension of the team seemed to crackle in the air, they were getting close. Silver's voice cut through the silence.

"We're approaching stage 1, Salty are you ready for the cloak?"

"All systems go" Salty responded with obvious unease.

"Right, here goes"

Silver pulled the lever mounted in the ceiling above her head. There was a click then a whining sound which rose in pitch until it blended with the droning of the engines. The team exchanged glances, mutual smiles of reassurance. There really was no going back now.

"Alright boys, lets check we're ready for the sniping. Everyone be ready to go immediately, we can't afford to wait if you've forgotten something" Falco got up and pulled his rifle from the wall. He checked it briefly, lifting the scope to his eye, and looking down the barrel, then checking it was loaded and the safety off. Lupus, Blaze and Tyson he found were doing the same. Salty was looking at his power tracker. Blaze went back to his seat and again checked the bomb components.

"Everyone ready?" Falco asked checking the magazines in the belt round his waist

"Yes sir" Lupus said subconsciously

"Ready" Blaze

"As I'll ever be" Salty squeaked in an uneasy voice

"Ready sir" Silver said and then finally Tyson

"Let's get um!" he cried to which all the rest mumbled their agreement.

Falco returned to his place by Silver, the sniper rifle laid across his lap. Now it was only a matter of time...

"There she is" Silver said slowly

"Hullo again" Falco mumbled

Falco and Silver stared out at the massive square object that was the Behemoth as it dominated the space ahead of them. Falco for a moment thought how ugly it was, he'd always considered Great Fox to be beautiful, the Behemoth was definitely not. Again he struggled to tell which side was the front, the ship had no windows, most of its hull was dominated by vast guns. The rest of the strike team all came to the front of the shuttle and crowded around Falco and Silver, all desperate for a glimpse of the Behemoth.

"Whoa! Its gunna make one hell of a mess when we blow that thing up!" Lupus joked

"Do you think we brought enough explosives? Its bigger than I thought it would be anyway" Blaze said

"I think it's bigger than any of us thought it would be" Tyson said, unusually serious.

"Except Falco of course" Salty said

"I think its grown"

"There's no sign that they've spotted us yet. Your cloak seems to be holding Salty"

"Good"

"Let's do this. I've got a birthday party to go to tomorrow!" Falco said

Falco starred out the window, every instinct screaming at him as the shuttle simply glided past the Behemoth's patrolling fighters.

"Hold her steady Silver"

"I know what I'm doing Falco, this is my show" She said tensely "bay doors are open, we're going in boys"

"Snipers in position" Falco ordered. The four of them rose to their feet and took their positions at the side doors, Salty took cover at the back where he would be out of the firing line. Silver's hands on the controls where sweating, if the mission went wrong at this stage it would be no-ones fault but hers. The Behemoth grew bigger and bigger in her view until she could no-longer see the stars. She fixed her eyes on the selected docking bay and tried to ignore the ship around her _"it's just like every other landing you've done. Just a little faster" _She told herself. She approached the atmospheric barrier; still no-one seemed to know they were there... maybe just maybe this would work.

"Hold steady boys" she said putting her hand on the door controls. "We're about to breach the barrier" This was crunch time; it could all go wrong now. She cut the engines and prepared to glide the shuttle into the bay. Then there was a blue glow across her screen, she could see the workers in the bay. The middle of the shuttle crossed through the barrier. One of the ground crew looked up.

"Come on, come on" Silver breathed "Atmospheric barrier breached! Doors opening!"

She slammed her hand down on the controls and the doors began to open...

Falco was facing forward. He pushed against the door as it opened seemingly slowly, everything seemed to be running in slow motion. He got the gun out the door as fast as possible, the shuttle would be just about visible now... he spotted a member of the ground crew, just about to look up. Instinct took over, just as he aimed and went to squeeze the trigger he heard Lupus next to him fire the first shot. Then he fired, he saw blood explode from the man's head and didn't wait to see him fall. The shuttle's bottom touched the deck. Falco swung the gun to switch targets. This one was staring right at the shuttle. He took aim and fired as multiple shots rang out from the others. Falco hit but this one had a friend, he turned and ran, Falco panicked and didn't aim properly, he fired and only succeeded in hitting him in the arm, he staggered and ran on. Falco's hawk eyes spotted what he was heading for, an alarm!

"_Shit" _

Falco raised the gun again, every stride of the man as he ran for the alarm seemed slowed, Falco was now fighting against nothing but time. He fired. He hit him in the chest, he went down, blood smeared gaudily against the wall. Time seemed to suddenly return to normal

"All clear"

"All clear"

"clear" The rest called

"Yeah me too... got a bit close but... Ok Spectres, lets move out!" Falco cried.

In a rush the six of them were out of the shuttle onto the Behemoth's landing deck, Falco barely pausing to drop the sniper rifle.

"Salty, which way?" Falco asked as they ran quickly across the deck towards the main exit from the bay.

"I'm still scanning... come on come on faster!" Salty said to his tracker. "All right! Through those doors, then take uh... Left!"

The team responded unquestioningly to his orders and dropped into their positions which were by now second nature, watching each others backs. The six of them moved silently, like black fog, listening for the sounds of approaching enemies, hearing nothing but the patter of their feet on the Behemoth's metal floors. Falco took note of their design, square, completely utilitarian, metal floors metal walls, large lights in the ceiling periodically, also square. So unfriendly, he shuddered.

"Shit. Salty can we go a different way?" Lupus' voice. Falco looked ahead, a set of double doors blocked their way, and refused to open

"I have something that can deal with this" Salty said pulling a square object from one of his many pockets. He looked up at Falco "It might take a while"

"Ok lets give Salty some cover, take up defensive positions as best you can" Falco ordered.

The team fanned out sticking close to the walls, watching up the corridors, listening for the sounds they all dreaded. Falco closest to Salty could only hear the occasional bleep of the door decoder as it worked. It seemed to be taking an eternity, Falco's hands on his black blaster were sweating, briefly he took his hand away to wipe it on his trousers.

"Salty how long"

"I'm almost there" Salty said tensely

Falco went back to starring up the corridor. He kept imagining a torrent of guards laying siege to them up the corridor, he shook his head. He couldn't understand why. Then he heard a hiss and sliding noise as the door opened and Salty's small shout of glee. Swiftly he turned, gun at the ready, half expecting hundreds of guards to be waiting for them on the other side. Fortunately there were none. Falco frowned to himself as the team filed quickly through the door and it closed behind them, the Behemoth was worryingly empty, Falco had expected far more resistance. They headed up the corridor; unbeknown to them a small red light on the door panel had stared to blink...

Salty continued to lead the way up the corridor. Suddenly they heard footsteps, with a hand gesture Falco stopped them and then they all flattened themselves against the nearest wall, Falco then signalled to Blaze and Lupus, the two strongest in his party. He took his black bladed combat knife out of his belt, held it up so they could see it, tapped his hand on his beak twice then made motions of drawing the knife across his throat. He beckoned for them to follow him until they found a place in the corridor where they would be hidden from the approaching people. Falco held his knife in his hand and waited, listening to the feet and now voices growing closer. Then he gave the others a signal and as one they leapt out. Four, they were outnumbered. Falco launched himself on the closest caught him in the way he'd been taught when he was nine, and half the size of most of his adversaries, pulled him against himself and quickly slit his throat. As he did so he watched Blaze knock one to the ground while plunging his knife into the other's chest then turning it up in his flesh into his heart. He withdrew the knife and dove for the other. As Falco let his victim drop silently to the floor Lupus slit the throat of his struggling target. Blaze as he dropped simply put the knife straight through the final one's throat, using his momentum to drive the blade, he probably broke his spine, but Falco couldn't tell without the feeling knife in his hand. Falco caught Lupus grinning at him as he examined the carcasses, two Canite Lupines, a Vulgarian and a species Falco wasn't familiar with.

"Lupus go get the others, we need to get these bodies out of sight"

Lupus trotted back up the corridor to where the others were hiding. Falco and Blaze looked around for a convenient place to hide them. The growing puddle of blood on the floor would as good as give them away now anyway

"Ah screw it we may as well leave them where they are now! Why do they have to bleed so much?"

Blaze grinned but said nothing. Falco looked up to the rest of the team following Lupus up the corridor. Silver raised her eyebrow when she saw the bodies, leaving them behind they continued towards the energy source.

They continued through a maze of corridors, Salty leading the way, suddenly he stopped.

"What is it?" Lupus whispered

"I thought I heard voices"

"All right close it up" Falco ordered. Peppy's hearing had always been better than his, and he wasn't about to take any chances. They carried on, in a tight formation, walking as quietly as they could.

"Hey! There they are!"

A shot. Falco jumped round to see four guards... and Lupus falling to the ground. The team had been caught by surprise. Falco shoved Salty against the wall firing his blaster, also jumping to the side. Something stung burning at his chest and he fell to the ground.

Salty watched Falco fall in front of him where he cowered against the walls, with only a narrow beam blocking him from the enemy fire. He was terrified. The corridor seemed to have erupted into noise and chaos. He squeezed himself against the wall, unable to fire on the enemy. One had gone down by Falco's shot. The others were engaged in a fierce gun battle. Then as he watched one went down then the others. The Spectres it seemed had lucked out and had found more cover than their attackers. Finally the lasts of the guards fell to the ground... And Salty looked down on Falco's body sprawled in front of him.

"Falco!!" Salty cried

"Is he dead?" Tyson's voice, unusually concerned

"I don't think so... I think the body armour saved him" Silver's voice, Falco could feel her hands on his chest. "Come on Falcs, wake up"

"Ugh... Lupus" Falco groaned

Only then did the rest of the team dare to look where Lupus lay. A pool of blood spread out below him. He had not been so lucky. He lay dead in the corridor. Shot in the head.

"Lupus..." Blaze moaned, softly, his voice cracking for the first time Falco could remember.

"What, what is it?" Falco asked sitting up. The sight made his heart go cold "Oh no"

The team looked at each other then at Falco.

"Come on. We can't sit around here. We have to go"

Silver helped Falco to his feet; he could see tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Come on guys, Salty said it's not much further. Let's finish this and go home. The

Angels are due any minute. That should take the pressure off us"

Purposefully Falco led the team on, away from Lupus' broken body, turning a blind eye to Silver and Salty's tears. There would be time for him to grieve when this was all over. Falco looked down at his watch nervously as they all followed Salty again. The Angels were overdue. Falco had a feeling Lupus' death was not the only disaster which would befall them. Ahead another set of double doors blocked their way, but these were opened quickly they walked out into a massive room housing a huge reactor core glowing green, and Spectre Strike came face to face with a whole battalion of soldiers.

"What do you mean you're pulling the Angels!!" Pepper roared "Spectres are too far into it now to be withdrawn!"

Commander Kramer grinned slightly waiting for Pepper to see.

"That was the idea... wasn't it?... You turned Falco and his team into suicide bombers!"

"_Lombardi _is a mercenary. If this government doesn't have to pay him at the end of the day so much the better"

"That's sick!!" Charles Pepper couldn't believe what he was hearing, he didn't want to believe it. "Why wasn't I informed?"

"The War Cabinet took a vote, and we decided it wasn't worth throwing away the lives of 250 of our pilots" he said calmly

"Why wasn't I there, why didn't I get to cast _my_ vote"

"You could not have swung the result even if you had been there"

"How many others did you neglect to invite"

"The rest were all present. Angel flight was outvoted 7 to 2"

"I'll send my own fighters then" Pepper said stubbornly

"Don't be a fool General" He said snidely.

At that point Pepper would have jumped in an Arwing and flown against the Behemoth himself... but he knew it was hopeless.

"We need you to fire the bomb by remote. No objections, orders from Federation command"

Pepper sighed to himself. There was nothing more he could do, he was caught in the government red tape, the decisions for this mission had now gone to a level much higher than him, Falco and his team were lost.

"Surrender or die" The leader of the guards said. Falco's world started to tumble. It was as though his mind split into several parts and they all ran in different directions at once.

"I suggest the leader makes his decision quickly"

Falco couldn't believe this was happening. He suddenly felt as though he was in over his head. He had never been trained to decide things like this, he was still only a teenager, his world grew dark and a strange unidentifiable terror rose up in him from somewhere. He looked around. The guards were getting more numerous by the second. There was no way they could win in a fire-fight. He could feel Salty next to him shaking. The bomb wasn't ready, they couldn't even blow that. Hope was visibly draining away, they had little chance of rescue. The Angels weren't here yet and Falco increasingly felt they would probably never appear. All these thoughts had taken just seconds. Falco knew he would be betraying himself as leader now but he had to say something. He felt Silver touch his hand.

"Drop your weapons" he finally said. Falco felt the familiar black blaster, warm where he'd been holding it, slide out of his hand and clatter to the floor. In his mind he questioned what he'd done as he watched Blaze, ahead, bend to put his larger rifle down. No-one looked at him. He tried to convince himself they would find a way to escape later, still he couldn't stop himself shaking.

"Wise choice purple bird." Falco ignored the insult, he couldn't do anything about it anyway "Raise your hands" The voice belonging to a scaled creature, almost like a dinosaur said. Falco was reminded of Leon, friend of Wolf O'Donnell. Falco had made sure Leon wouldn't survive, his ship never hit the ground. The soldiers took the guns from the group and grabbed hold of them. They forced Falco's arm behind his back holding it so that they could inflict pain if he moved. They were all roughly searched for weapons, Blaze tried to struggle but was quickly subdued with a gun held to his head. Then Falco felt the sharp pain of the muzzle of a gun shoved into his back

"Walk" one of the guards ordered. Like sheep the team obeyed, they all knew better than to try and make a break for it when they were this outnumbered.

Falco felt his mind memorising the paths he was being led down. A photographic memory had not been something he'd been born with, it was something he'd had to learn. Only Fox had been fortunate in that respect, the only problem was frequently it didn't seem to have any film in it. Falco was determined to remember the way back, he would lead the team along this way shortly, once the odds were more in their favour they would make their escape.

Falco heard an odd clicking sound. Everyone stopped. The guard holding the partially assembled, utterly harmless bomb looked up. The team looked at the bomb and their watches, someone was trying to detonate the bomb by remote... 14 minutes too soon. Falco watched and saw what they all knew to be Pepper's code go through the bomb, and he knew his team had been screwed.

It didn't work. Pepper didn't know whether to be happy or sad, he just knew he'd betrayed his friend, and his government its people for the sake of a secret and a hope to maintain power for another term. Their plan it seemed had backfired, and their mistake would be paid for with the blood of civilians and soldiers alike.

An odd smell caught Falco's attention, the place they were leading them to smelt of death. Blood, and decaying flesh. Salty obviously noticed it too, he retched. Falco's fear increased immeasurably. There was a flash of one of his nightmares, it crossed his mind, he cowered in a corner. Falco stumbled over his feet, shaking his head. He stared down the corridor ahead of him. Doors led off either side at equal intervals. The smells seemed to be resonating from behind those doors. Falco knew a prison block when he saw one, he'd been in them enough times. He and Blaze caught one another's eyes and exchanged a nervous glance. Then the team were split up. Falco watched as the rest were flung roughly into the individual cells. Then finally his guard forced him into a door behind him, before he could so much as turn the door was slammed closed and locked.

"_Shit"_

Falco starred around the room he was in. At first he could see very little, then his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The only light entering the room came through a letterbox shaped hole in the top of the door and a narrow slit between it and the frame. Falco looked again round the room. The floor was wet, with blood and other things he didn't want to think about, this cell hadn't been empty for long...

"_Please let them have shot them" _

"_A spirit is fragile and easily broken..._

_and can take a lifetime to mend" _

For a long time he walked around and around the dark cell. The only thing he hated more than confined spaces was water. A primal part of his mind was angry and scared of being trapped, and Falco found it hard to control that part of himself. In truth he was terrified, flashes of what Peppy had told him of Venom kept creeping up on him. He walked faster, round and round the cell, the hawk in him searching for an escape route, the sentient knowing it would find none. They called this a "vice" in animals, when they had been slowly driven mad. Falco stopped. It hadn't taken him long to slide over the edge. Mentally he shook himself.

"_Get a hold of yourself Falco!"_ He thought to himself _"Think of a way to get out of here... And stop walking in circles!" _

He slumped onto the floor and leant against the wall. For a moment he concentrated on calming himself, slowing his breathing and reducing his pulse. Finally he forced his mind to concentrate on the issue at hand. Their options were limited to say the least, Falco didn't go much on his chances of getting himself out, let a lone the rest of the team with him. Even if he could get them all out of their cells he would then have to get them back to the docking bay and into ships, or in the worst case scenario, escape pods, Falco frowned, he guessed the Behemoth wasn't the kind of ship which would have escape pods. He would have to get them to the docking bays then. The likelihood was that if he could even get them out of their cells they would then face a running gun battle, in which his measly team would be outnumbered 100-1. It would be a bloodbath. Even if he could get some of them to the docking bay, the shuttle would be a sitting duck. It was more than he could hope for to have enough survivors for a proper escort. Falco knew in his heart he was going to lose at least one more of them, if, they got out at all. He felt sick as despair took hold, cold, in his chest, seemingly his very soul. His nightmares were coming true. General Pepper and the Federation had betrayed them; the remote detonation attempt on the bomb had proven that beyond any reasonable doubt. The Angels weren't coming. Falco's strike team were alone, there would be no-one coming to rescue them. Even Fox had no idea where he was...

Falco heard footsteps approaching. He looked up from where he sat in the corner of the cell. The feet continued to get closer. Falco stood up. The footsteps stopped outside his door. Falco listened to a key turn in the lock. He dropped to a half-crouch, ready to strike whoever came through the door. The door swung open. Falco launched himself forward to meet only a club swung haphazardly towards him. He was knocked back. He fell heavily against the floor, unable to stifle a cry.

"Falco!" Salty shouted.

"Shut up!" one of the guards warned "No talking"

Falco was aware his dog-tag had escaped from under his shirt. He squinted at the silhouetted shapes coming towards him. Two men who looked like they were in charge and two standard guards. These came to either side of him and took hold of his arms roughly. Falco couldn't believe what was happening. People said this sort of thing didn't happen in the Federation anymore. He supposed he should know better. The scaled creature came close to Falco, so close he could smell his vile breath. He pulled Falco up by the tag. If he hadn't been held by the guards he would have struggled, as it was he was helpless. He was forced to stare at that ugly face.

"Lombardi eh? That's a familiar name isn't it?"

The other man grunted in response.

"We're gunna have lots of fun with _you _Star Fox, and once we're bored maybe we'll sell you to Venom, we'd get a good price for you"

"Bast-" one of the guards struck Falco on the beak before he could finish speaking.

"Shame you didn't bring your little friends with you, that Peppy's already been conditioned for us, but there's still lots of spirit to break"

Falco launched himself forward filled with rage, the guards held him away.

"I'll kill you!!" Falco screamed

"Insolent little shit, we'll soon knock that out of you" he waved his hand and one of the guards struck him on the back of the head with the butt of his gun. He fell forwards. But that was just the beginning...

Falco managed to bring his head back up to look at him and spit in his face. The creature wiped his saliva from his ugly nose.

"You won't want to be doing that again"

Falco scowled at him.

"Or be making faces like that. Because in here you do as I say, in here I'm God"

Falco snorted with contempt.

"Leaders always get to go first! Welcome to hell!" He said joyously

Falco hardly saw the knife coming. Before he could really comprehend what was happening they had buried it in his arm, driving it deep, until it was stopped by solid bone. Falco screeched. The thing with the knife backed off a little, stunned. Avion screams could unnerve anyone.

"Stop it, don't hurt him!" Salty's voice came again, pleading.

"Salty shut up!" Blaze hissed.

"Don't make me tell you again!" one of the ones in charge shouted "Or you'll make it very much worse for yourself and your feathered friend."

Then grinning the scaled thing came closer again and took hold of the knife handle which had been left in Falco's arm. He drew it down, its tip grating against the bone. Falco wanted to pass out, instead he screamed some more. Hot searing pain spread not just down his arm, but across his chest, into his head, blinding his senses, until pain was all he knew. When the knife came out again the pain reached a whole different level. His vision started to swirl, he noticed a red puddle on the floor, surely all that blood couldn't have come from him. The scaled creature held the glinting red knife up in front of Falco's face so he could see. Taunting him. Falco's blood stained his hand, then he took the knife down and slashed it along Falco's leg, shallow. Something warm dripped from the cut, thick red blood joined the puddle on the floor. The guy handed the knife to his companion. Falco dropped his head panting, glad of the brief rest. He heard the one with the knife walk round his back, but couldn't find the strength to turn his head to look. Searing pain shot up his spine, making him jerk upright, shaking another screech out of him.

"Don't move purple shit or this knife goes through your spine"

Terrified Falco remained motionless; the knife was slowly drawn up his back, slow so Falco felt every new inch with clarity. It seemed to take an eternity for them to finally reach the base of his neck. Once they did they took the knife away. Everything seemed to speed up after that. Falco was laid face down on the floor. There was lots of noise, like a bat swinging through the air, whistling in the wind, someone shouting, screaming. Begging for them to stop. Heavy hands rolled him over. The club came down against his chest. There was a loud crack. Searing pain, stronger, yet also weaker than all the others spread across his chest. Falco only then realised it was him screaming, he wished he would stop, the sound hurt his head, but he seemed to have lost control of his voice. Falco's world became a blurred puzzle of pain and blood for the next eternity. Then it stopped, at least he couldn't feel any new pains. He was laid in a puddle of blood and vomit, seeming to spin. Everything was quiet. Falco lay there unable to move, each time he tried agony ripped through him. It was best to just lie still. In the background he thought he could hear someone crying. For a moment Falco wasn't sure if it was his voice he could hear. Then he realised distantly it was Salty. The guards didn't seem to mind him crying. The sound of it made Falco's heart sink, if no-one else's.

The sound of Falco's screaming still echoed around Silver's mind. She'd never heard anything like it, it was so awful. When he had started crying her heart had felt as though it would break, he had always seemed so strong to her. She could hear Salty sobbing. She brushed the tears from her own face. She wanted desperately to know he was ok, and do something to ease his pain. Rock him in her arms... She was angry at them for what they had done to him, and afraid of the horrors they still had up their sleeves for the rest of them...

Falco heard footsteps for a while and then voices.

"Who should we take next Mitoc?"

"Oh I dunno... We've had our fun with Lombardi for now, why not make it a pair and have some fun with the McCloud look-alike"

Falco's heart dropped. Tyson.

New screaming ripped out in the silence. Falco could hear Tyson crying out for his mother. That call chilled him to the bone, even the tough defensive guys could be shattered like glass. Falco couldn't remember crying out for anyone, he couldn't remember anything but pain. Now as he listened to Tyson screaming he felt a deep despair take hold of his soul, as though it was being drowned in it. The Angels weren't coming, that was clear. They had been betrayed and there would be no rescue party. Falco remembered with a new despair that he wasn't the first member of Star Fox to be betrayed to this. In horror he realised they would all dead within a few days... but until then it would be hell... The guards slammed the door, sending pain searing through Falco's head and walked away laughing to themselves. Idly the rest of the team wondered who would be next.

It was Salty. When he screamed he sounded like a child, for that was what he was. Every thud as something heavy made contact with a part of his body Falco flinched. Than Falco heard a snapping sound and Salty screamed with renewed vigour. The guards howled with laughter. Salty it seemed couldn't scream anymore, Falco could hear him struggling to draw breath, heard him cough, then the sound of something wet splattering the ground. There were a few more thuds, then the guards left his cell, muttering disappointedly to themselves.

"Fuck you asshole!!" Falco heard Blaze shout as he lay face down on the floor. Then there was a deep bellowing growl and one of the guards yelped.

"Get off me you bastard!" He shouted. Falco heard the sickening sound of something heavy hit bone and then a body falling to the floor.

"Badger likes to bite does he? We'll soon put a stop to that" There was the sound of another strike, and more muffled sounds of struggling, but then Blaze went the way of all the rest. His screams shattered the silence in the prison block. For a short time his stubborn determination held out, he continued to swear defiantly at the guards, rousing the fighting spirit in everyone, then after a few moments more he started begging them to stop. His language deteriorating into a confused mixture of Lylat and his native Vulgarian. It seemed to go on for hours, Falco just lay there trembling, glad it wasn't him they were doing it to, and angry at himself for thinking that. Finally it stopped. Blaze's screams failed to quiet rasping breaths. There was only Silver left now...

What they would do to her was truly unforgivable. Her screams brought Falco back from the brink, it was a scream of pure terror, a primal scream of the fear that united all girls and women alike. Falco had heard those screams before, on the streets, the girls Jedd had been too late to save... he didn't need to see to understand this time. Silver screamed out to begin with, then her voice just faded to broken whimpers accompanied by the grunts of those _men_... the sound of their laughter... it filled Falco with rage. Rage like he'd never felt before. These _people _were no better than monsters. He wanted to scream, beat their faces into the ground, give them just some of the hurt they were causing her. He tried to get up, a fresh wave of agony burned through him, forcing him back against the cold, dirty floor. Panting in the darkness Falco solemnly promised himself he would get revenge for what they were doing. With every whimper he heard Falco felt as though his soul was being ripped out of his chest, but he knew it must be nothing compared to what Silver must be feeling. Sadly Falco resigned himself to the fact that Silver was lost, he'd seen rape victims before. They never seemed to go back to how they were...

For Slippy's birthday the ship was unusually quiet. There was a sombre air prevailing. Peppy was afraid he was the cause and did his best to be cheery but somehow he had hoped that Falco would be back for this. So far he was well overdue. He'd never missed one of their birthdays before, not for anything. Slippy seemed to miss him too, he didn't have anyone to play with, Fox wasn't obliging. There seemed to still be tension in the air, Peppy wondered if Fox was still angry at him for shouting at him. Peppy couldn't blame him, he hated himself for jumping to conclusions and overreacting. Peppy was sure Fox thought he was worrying over nothing, and it was obvious he was angry at Falco, mainly for getting him in trouble Peppy supposed. Peppy smiled, he hoped deep down some part of Fox would miss Falco. Peppy rubbed at his aching temples, the headache and sick feeling that had started late the previous afternoon was still there, nagging at the back of his mind... A bang startled him from his thoughts, Slippy looked up at him guiltily, the remainder's of a red balloon on the floor in front of him where he knelt. Peppy had to laugh, he'd have to remember to be careful with Slippy's candles...

He wasn't sure how long it had been when they came back. Falco realised with horror that the first session had just been blood letting, to weaken them, they hadn't even begun to twist the knife, to get what they wanted. Falco considered just giving it to them, the Federation had betrayed them, fair's fair. Then he thought of all the civilians... all the mothers and children who would cry. He managed to give the one they called Mitoc a defiant look from where he cowered in the corner. He frowned then, they were bringing in something that looked like a small square tank, as they brought it closer he realised it was full of ice and water. Falco felt hid eyes widen and pulse leap... every Avion was terrified of drowning. He started to shake. Mitoc came towards him, grinning an evil smile Falco was already coming to hate. Falco tried to shuffle away, his terror masking the searing pain, but they caught him and dragged him towards the water. Falco struggled desperately but to no avail, they were too strong. The other man grabbed his head and forced it into the water. When he couldn't get it out again every part of him panicked, he beat all his limbs wildly, ignoring the tearing sensations and fire seeming to burn up his limbs. No matter how hard he fought he couldn't get his head up. He seemed to fight for hours, the terror driving him on. Then the cold started to take hold and his limbs stopped responding, things started to get dark. The tank had been dark, but now the inside of Falco's head seemed to be going dark, shutting down, dimly Falco was sure it didn't take this long to drown...

"_Metal water... metal water... breathe the metal water... put out the fire in my chest... metal water... breathe! Metal water... breathe! Breathe the metal water... I'll drown!! Metal water... I _am_ drowning!! Metal water... breathe the metal water... breathe..." _

Mitoc pulled his head out off the water bath and punched him in the face, forcing him to inhale. Falco's senses came back in a rush, furious biting cold gnawed savagely at his face, the rest of him felt as though it was on fire. Falco had only a little while to get his breath back, all the while they hit him, their laughter ringing in his ears. Then Mitoc grabbed the back of his head and he was in the water again. Though not for so long, but long enough for his lungs to burn and for the animal in him to panic. Then he came out again and Mitoc changed tactics. Falco wasn't sure what it was, it stung like a whip, cutting into his skin, his arms mostly where he held them up to protect his face. Occasionally they kicked him. As the pain became the norm Falco heard something different, his own voice crying out unbidden, with his cries came blood...

"Peppy please help me... Make them stop, they're hurting me. Help me... Please Peppy..."

Peppy dreamt of Falco, he'd been dreaming of him a lot lately. It was a recurring nightmare, though this night Falco's cries seemed more vivid in his mind, his voice calling out to him, though the words were lost to him, they just seemed urgent and filled with a desperation that was rare in his voice. Then as he tossed in his sleep a few words came through suddenly clearly, and with them horrific images he found all too familiar...

"Peppy... make them stop... they're hurting me"

Peppy jumped awake, his hands clenched in fists. Anger burning in his chest, every muscle in his body tense. He sat like a statue for a moment. Then as though released form a trance he blinked and breathed again. He stared about him, frowning at the nightmare, shaking his head he put it aside _"It's just a nightmare"_ he told himself as he lay down again to sleep. Nevertheless his worry for Falco increased _"Where are you little one?" _He wondered.

The worst thing was not being in control. Falco in his short lifetime had grown used to believing he was in charge of his own destiny, for good or ill. Now he could do nothing, not even discern the passing of the hours, or even hold his head up and look his enemy in the eye. It hurt his spirit more than his body, he felt so helpless, given the choice he would rather death than the continuation of this abuse... but he didn't even have that choice, and that was slowly destroying him. He could remember back, he could remember being free... he could remember soaring above the clouds of countless worlds... he could remember standing at the edge of oblivion, and watching the sun rise. When he closed his eyes he could sometimes go back to that world... escape into himself...

He soared over a milky sea. The moon glowed round in front of him, filling his cockpit with silvery light. When he looked to his side he could see Fox flying beside him, his fur and features outlined with silver in his dark cockpit. When he turned to grin at him his eyes twinkled as his face fell into milky shadows, as though he were a ghost. He boosted away. Falco watched the light glance off the metal of his wings as he crisscrossed in front of him, asking him to play in his own silent way... There was always pain... Falco stood as just one in a vast crowd but one of four within that crowd. His ears tingled with the sounds of the music, his heart seeming to beat with the drums... The grey mare surged forward below him, trees flashed by in a blur, just for a moment they were one, seeming more to fly than run. Then they burst out from the forest onto a glorious green hillside spotted with flowers. The wind rushed in his ears and the smells of grass, flowers and heather wafted round his nose. Falco looked back, Peppy's vast brown gelding thundered along behind, tossing its head with glee, Peppy bent low to his neck willing him to go faster, to win their race. Falco too bent closer and willed his smaller lighter mare to find speed in her hooves. He could hear the thundering of Peppy's gelding as he drew closer... hoof beats became footsteps and Falco willed it to be Peppy walking the Behemoth's corridors, but he knew it wouldn't be...

Peppy stared at the star maps spread out on the table before him, trying hard to concentrate, but he couldn't, despite the painkillers his headache hadn't gone away, it had been three days now, but for some reason he knew it wasn't the kind drugs were going to get rid of. He looked back at the constellations, his mind seemed to be wandering to everything but what he should be doing, and Fox's music wasn't helping. Peppy was considering just giving up, for a moment he closed his eyes and just listened to the beat of Fox's music and Slippy's mumblings as he fiddled with one invention or the other. Then over the music he noticed a different sound.

"Hey Fox shut that up a minute"

Fox grumbled but complied

"We've got a message" Slippy said and flicked a switch to answer it. General Pepper's face appeared on the Common Room screen.

"Good afternoon Fox, Slippy and Peppy" He said cheerfully, not mentioning Falco's absence "I have a mission for you"

Fox immediately perked up. An image of a planet appeared on the screen. Peppy had to look at it twice, it looked as though pieces of it had broken off and were floating around it, but it couldn't be, surely.

"This is Dinosaur Planet"

Fox smothered laughter

"Yes Fox the Cornerian officials weren't feeling very inventive. As you can see parts of the surface have broken away, so far we don't have much information as to why. That's your job, I'm sure you'll enjoy looking into the planet's history Peppy." He laughed, Peppy frowned, Pepper's laughter sounded false and he refused to look him in the eye. Pepper hastily carried on. "Your job is to stop the planet ripping itself apart, even if that means tying ropes around the broken bits and using Great Fox to drag them back. If the planet explodes it will take the Lylat System with it, frankly Fox I'd rather not have to explain why Corneria and Katina have been obliterated and all the lives here lost. I can't stress the importance of your success enough"

"I get the idea sir"

"Yes of course. Good luck Fox... Be careful" Pepper's eyes briefly glanced at Peppy before he cut the channel. Great Fox changed her course and Fox began preparing for a new mission, one he'd rather not be doing alone.

A kick in the chest woke him. Something was laid next to him, dead eyes stared into Falco's. Screaming he jumped away, much to the amusement of his tormentors. Falco shuffled away so that his back was up against the wall, wishing that by getting away from the horrific sight it would stop it being true. He pushed his spine into the wall, aware he was still screaming. Then he realised it wasn't a nightmare and it wasn't going to change and that silenced him. Salty just lay there, his young body horrifically mangled. They'd sliced his ears into three and plaited them, just for starters. Falco stared at him, willing him to move, just a little, but he knew he wouldn't. He was unmistakably dead. Something deep within Falco shattered and died, he broke down sobbing. The grief was too overpowering, he could do nothing, the pain was worse than anything they had so far done to him. Worse than anything they could ever do. Falco had been told how much a broken heart hurt, he had never believed that it was a real pain before. Something inside was gone, shattered, broken and gone. Salty had believed in him and he had failed him, he'd failed them all...

Fox stared bemused around ThornTail Hollow. The giant dinosaurs, though they just cropped grass slowly were more than intimidating, Fox felt suddenly very alone, and for once thought he would have welcomed Falco's company. The Hollow was undeniably beautiful, the river running through it was crystal clear and bubbled away quietly, the bright green grass, that seemed almost too vivid was springy beneath his feet. A cool wind brushed against his fur. Fox had to remind himself that this seemingly tranquil place was classified as a war zone. Mildly he set out to explore the area, wishing to find a weapon more fitting to this world than his blaster, he wasn't supposed to have brought one at all, but Peppy had turned a blind eye to him smuggling one into the inner pocket of his jacket. Ahead he noticed something glinting next to a circle of palm tree like trees, curiously he waked forward. At first he thought it was a sword, Falco seemed to have developed a fascination for them of late. As he got closer he realised it was a staff, its head buried deep into the ground, as though it had been dropped from a great height. He looked up, almost expecting to see its owner flying overhead, unsurprisingly he saw only blue skies. He reached out and touched it. It was as though electrified, Fox snatched his hands back startled, it took him a moment to gather his courage to touch it again. This time he pulled it from the ground, it seemed to resonate with a strange power, humming up his limbs and across his chest, bemused he stared at it. The staff was taller than he was, decorated with purple, yellow and blue, in not the most tasteful way. At one end a teardrop shaped head spread out, judging by the trigger in the handle Fox guessed it was some sort of firing system, Fox's curiosity got the better of him, he squeezed the trigger. Bang! The bolt of fire that shot from the end of the staff caught him off guard.

"Arh!" he cried alarmed. A ThornTail the blast had narrowly missed stared angrily at him. Fox laughed self-consciously. They had always laughed at Slippy for doing things like that, they'd called it the "Push the Button" gene, for when his curiosity for technology and such overwhelmed all sense of reason and caution, usually with disastrous results for poor Slippy. He was a familiar face at the minor burns unit a the Cornerian Central hospital. Grinning Fox put the staff on his back. He was again surprised when it shrank to a more manageable size. Thinking what a weird world he'd stumbled onto he trotted off.

It was just like James' funeral. Only Fox was older now, he stood close to Peppy, his expression empty, just staring numbly ahead, detached. Peppy cried quietly and hugged Slippy tightly by his side. Slippy's face was wet and pale, his large eyes watching the coffin being carried slowly along. Just like James the coffin was empty. No body would ever be recovered. Pepper sighed, the three of them stood apart from him, at James funeral he'd been standing at their sides. Peppy had been holding one of Fox's tiny hands, this time Fox's hands hung limply at his sides. Pepper knew that this time their loss was his fault. The three of them huddled close together, Fox still not crying, just looking lost, their family Peppy had called it, they didn't look right anymore, one smiling face was missing...

Pepper snapped awake, and sat up in bed. Sleepily his wife Amelia spoke to him.

"What's wrong Charles?..." She put her arm across his chest

"N-Nothing... go back to sleep" he stammered weakly

Charles Pepper listened to her groan and then roll over and fall back asleep. Quietly, so as not to disturb her he climbed out of bed. He pulled back the curtains slightly, making sure the shaft of moonlight they let in didn't fall on her face. Charles starred up at one of Corneria's two moons. He wondered how Fox was getting along on Dinosaur Planet, and found himself praying for his safety. The last thing Star Fox needed was to lose another member, especially not their leader. If Fox was killed it would destroy Peppy. Charles sighed and wondered how he could ever find the words or the right time to tell them. There was never a good time. He'd already decided to wait until the mission on Dinosaur Planet was finished, he couldn't break the news to them when Fox was away on combat. Besides, he felt he owed it to Peppy to tell him in person. Either way he knew the truth would be devastate Peppy, he cared too much, about all of them. He also knew Peppy would never forgive him. Charles groaned to himself. He should never have let Falco go, he should have let Peppy know where he was when he'd had the chance. He should have done more to make sure the Angels flew. Six people were now dead... or dying... because of their misjudgement, one of those Charles had counted as a friend for a number of years. Falco had taken leadership of the strike team in good faith, believing the Federation commanders would uphold their side of the plan, and they had betrayed him. Charles had been in charge of missions that had gone wrong before, but he'd never been left feeling like this. They had just been children, the orphans of the Federation, no-one would miss them. None of them had deserved to die, and he doubted that they would have simply been shot. The silver light of the moon grew blurred in his watery vision, the stars multiplied and blended into one, he leant more heavily against the window, his strength seeming to leave him in a tide...

Peppy was trying to read his expression.

"What's wrong Charles?" He asked concerned.

"I'm so sorry..." Pepper began but lost his voice. He only managed to lift his hand and hold it out to Peppy. His eyes remained locked on Peppy's face as he made his fingers open. Peppy looked down at his hand to reveal the red winged fox. Pepper watched his face as he realised what he was holding. It seemed to go through a range of terrible emotions before his eyes finally came up to look at his.

"No..." he moaned softly, he looked as though his soul had just been ripped out of his chest, totally destroyed.

Pepper fell onto the floor. Amelia sat up in bed.

"Charles!" She cried jumping up and coming quickly to his side. He couldn't rid his mind of the image of Peppy's face. He was aware Amelia was by his side.

"What's wrong Charles? Are you ill? What were you doing out of bed"

Charles finally found his voice.

"Stargazing... I must have dozed off" he tried to reassure her, though his voice shook slightly.

"Silly old coot!" She rebuked softly "Come now to bed with you"

She helped him up and guided him back to bed. Laid by her side Charles did his best to put Falco and Peppy out of his mind.

"How does that cloak of yours work?" Mitoc demanded. Falco clutching at his gut turned to look up at him. He managed to splutter a response

"You - fucked up. You killed the wrong guy. The only one - who could answer that is dead!"

That defiance earned him a kick in the chest, where broken ribs ground against one another. He coughed up more blood and fell to the ground groaning weakly, no longer able to scream.

"Tell us Lombardi, or would you like more time in the water?"

"I don't know!" Falco cried.

Mitoc clicked his fingers and Falco heard him bring the water bath in again. Falco felt himself start to tremble.

"Well lets see if a cold bath will jog your memory"

Then it all started again. Mitoc would ask him over and over again, but Falco couldn't tell him anything, Salty had taken his secrets with him to the grave as far as the strike team were concerned. Then Mitoc suddenly changed tactics, he drew Falco's head out of the water.

"What are Great Fox's computer access codes"

"Fuck you I'm not telling you that" Falco heard himself say. That earned him the full wave of Mitoc's fury. Falco wasn't sure exactly what he did to him but all he knew was it hurt worse than anything else. It started in the base of his spine and worked out to every extremity making his fingers feel as though they were crumbling.

"6Omega15FoxtrotAlphaChaos!" Falco screamed out, anything to make him stop. As suddenly as it had started it did stop. He collapsed into the floor. _"What have I done?" _

"See Lombardi, there are advantages to helping us" Mitoc smiled shrewdly "What was it now... 6Omega15FoxtrotAlpha-...?"

"Chaos" Falco groaned... it was an old code... the first one he'd ever had... long out of date. It would raise alarms if they tried to use it, Falco smiled inwardly, Mitoc seemed to be convinced by his conviction. Falco felt himself be rolled onto his back so that he looked up at Mitoc's grinning scaly face.

"I'm going to leave you alone for a bit now, as a reward for helping me, but just remember" Mitoc tossed something up in the air "What happens when you defy me. Let me just remind you" He touched the device he'd been throwing in the air to Falco's arm. The same agony ripped through him, as though his bones were dissolving, fizzing away and merging with his blood. Then he took it away again. Falco's world was dizzy and spinning, from far away he heard Mitoc's voice.

"Just remember Lombardi. I decide what happens to you."

The door slammed behind him and Falco's world went black.

The sound of a commotion stirred him, confused shouts, Falco tried to clear his head and hear what the voices were saying. He heard feet run fast past his cell, then more shouts

"Shoot him!"

"Don't let him get away"

Falco came more awake, his soul suddenly alive with hope, someone was trying to escape!

"Damn vermin fox!"

It must be Tyson, Falco wished hard _"Go on Tyson, run, please get away!"_

Then there were shots. A scream, more shots, a squelching sound that seemed to carry loud and clear even over the chaos and a thud as something hit the ground. Then sickeningly a cheer. Falco felt his hopes vanish to disappointment and in the cell opposite him he was sure he heard Blaze groan.

"That'll teach him for trying to escape"

"Shame they shot him up so bad, there isn't even enough left to use as an example to the others"

"Yeah... Someone come and clear up this mess! I won't have this filth dirtying my corridors! Now... Slytir would you care to join me for dinner?"

"Certainly..." The voices grew distant.

"_Goodbye Tyson" _he sighed and slipped slowly back into that dark place...

The wind ripped at Fox's face as the speeder bike swept along after the SharpClaw. Fox was aware of trees passing him and sharp outcrops of rock that would shred him to pieces if he got to close, but he didn't have time to think about that. Suddenly he raced past one SharpClaw then the other, they seemed to be slowing down, but why? Suddenly Fox was airborne, he felt the bike fall away beneath him.

"_ah crap" _

Splash! Fox landed in water, pleasantly warm. As he surfaced he could hear the sound of laughter. He swam to the source of the noise. As he looked he saw a small dinosaur, purple, a little triceratops or EarthWalker as they called them here.

"Asheco tamero afen, sufon corro munch" The dinosaur laughed.

"What? I don't understand you!" Fox cried exasperated "Slippy a little help here!"

"Asheco-" the dinosaur began to repeat itself. Slippy's translator came online "Hot springs, other wise you'd be dead now"

Angered Fox raised his hand to slap the baby dinosaur and shut him up.

"You better not! My dad's the _king_ EarthWalker and he'll beat you up real good! I'm prince Tricky"

Fox stared down at him, he'd found what he'd been looking for but he had hoped the prince wouldn't be _this _annoying; it was going to be a_ long _mission.

"We have something to show you Lombardi" Slytir said, he gestured to the guards his laughter ringing out into the dark prison block, Falco's heart went cold, whatever it was, it couldn't be good. They were dragging something in behind them... Someone. They pulled Silver by her leg. Falco starred at her, she was half naked, her clothes torn from her body for those _men _to gawp at. Blood was dried to the fur down the inside of her legs, bruising and blood across her abdomen and chest all to clear to Falco's eyes. Slytir dumped her in front of him. Falco felt himself start to cry, how could they do this to her? It was the most cruel thing he could imagine. At least she was free now... Falco jumped, her chest rose slightly. She was still breathing, barely. Falco wasn't sure if that was worse. He knelt by her side.

"Sliver..." He said quietly, talking hurt his throat, his voice gurgled past blood. She looked up at him, her once beautiful silver blue eyes glazed with terror. Didn't she recognise him?... He was male. The enemy. A new part of Falco's soul descended into the depths, and the void it left was filled with rage.

"Fal..." Silver mumbled. Falco looked down on her suddenly. He took her hand in his; the silver bracelet was gone from her wrist he noticed.

"It's ok Silv' I'm here" Falco soothed past the lump in his throat. She sighed, and managed to squeeze Falco's hand gently before slipping away from him forever...

The grief this time gave him strength. Falco didn't care what they did to him, nothing seemed to matter now. Tears streamed down his face. His hands balled into fists and he slammed them into the most convenient body. He stood up, shrieking like an enraged animal, words, names, jumbling out of his mouth in an angry muddle. He didn't care what he was doing, he just struck at anything solid. Flailing his limbs, felling the satisfaction of burying his fists and bare, sharply clawed feet into soft yielding flesh. Light caught his eye, flooding in the open door, he made a rush for it... Something hard slammed into his head and the last thing he was aware of was the floor coming up to meet him.

Blaze's heart fell through the decks. Falco, like Tyson had come so close to escaping, he listened forlornly as they dragged him back into his cell.

"We'll make him regret that"

Blaze felt so helpless, so alone, it seemed there was nothing any of them could do to stop this. They no longer had free will of their own, even how long they would be given to live would be dictated by Slytir and Mitoc. Blaze failed to painful sobs. One by one they were falling, Silver was gone too by the sound of things, he and Falco were alone. Blaze found himself hopelessly wishing Falco wouldn't wake up again...

This had to be one of the weirdest missions he'd ever been on. The baby dinosaur Tricky looked down on him as he climbed down the ladder into the ThornTail well. The place smelt of damp. An unpleasantly cool wet mist clung to his fur as he reached what he thought was the bottom. Mushrooms, he was hunting mushrooms. They could have just given Tricky's mother a dinosaur sized shot of penicillin and be done with it but nooo he had to go looking for magic mushrooms, and not the kind he used to buy in nightclubs.

"I don't get paid enough for this..." Fox mumbled to himself as he picked his way around the stagnant puddles on the ground. The walls of the cave at the bottom of the well glowed eerily grey in his torchlight. Aside from the torch beam it was pitch black, he shivered slightly. His boots squelched on the wet moss growing on the floor, and somehow the water found its way in. It always did.

"Note to self, buy better boots"

Fox wandered on through the dark cave

"Here little mushrooms, where are you? Mushy, mushy, mushy... ugh shut up Foxy! Stop calling the plants... wait are mushrooms plants? Ah who cares."

The cave Fox was walking through suddenly opened up into a wide expanse. He shone the torch beam around. In front of him stretched an underwater lake, and on a small island right in the middle he spotted what he was looking for.

"Oh typical!" Fox growled to himself.

He stepped forward into the lake, he shuddered as water ran into this boots and soaked into his trousers, he carried on walking out into the lake until he was up to his armpits. The water was cold and smelt disgusting.

"I really need a new job" Fox said to himself "so glamorous my life..."

Just as he was contemplating having to swim the water got shallower again. Eventually he stood on the shore of the island, bedraggled, dripping wet, filthy and stinking of swamp gunk.

"Ahchoo!" Fox sneezed "mm bless me"

Fox drew the staff from his back and wandered towards the white mushrooms. To his immense surprise they upped their roots and ran away from him.

"What the? Am I seeing things?" Fox watched the mushrooms huddle in a group on the far side of the island. He ran for them and swiped the staff, the mushrooms jumped away and he missed completely. Fox set about chasing the mushrooms around the small island. They constantly evaded him. It took him almost an hour to catch the required six. Once he had them he sat against a convenient lone tree in the middle of the island, panting and immensely glad no-one had been around to watch.

One day faded into another with only the frequent visits of Slytir and Mitoc to give any hint of time's passing. It was always dark, except when they were there, Falco learnt to fear the light, and the sound of their approaching footsteps. He started to forget the world outside the cell, the darkness and stench seemed eternal, all there was in his world, besides the ever present pain. Even when they left him it lingered, and as he grew weaker and weaker Falco felt his spirit let go, give up on the world. He was simply waiting to die...

Peppy watched the monitor showing Fox's movements. Life was changing, and he didn't like it, he wanted nothing more than to have all his team under one roof again. He watched the display as Fox chased after a rouge SharpClaw, he'd wanted to go with Fox, to help, but he was getting to be too old for that kind of work... he sighed deeply, sadly, he wished his team were all tiny again... then he would still be young. He watched Fox again, growing old and seeing the children choose their paths wasn't supposed to hurt this much... or come so soon. He sighed wearily, he seemed to always be tired recently, he seemed to be sleeping a lot yet he was always weary. He laid his aching head on his arms on the instrument panel and listened to the soft bleeps and clicks of the bridge...

Falco and Fox smiled up at him. The damp wind blew the sea into foaming white crests, the pale brownish sand was wet beneath his feet, it stuck between his toes. The beach was deserted, it wasn't the weather for holiday makers, but somehow he preferred it like this. The sound of laughter could carry for miles even over the crash of the waves. He watched Fox chase Falco along the shoreline until he finally caught him and they tumbled to the ground together, laughing. Fox was first up, away and running again, closely followed by Falco. They both ran towards him. He ran from them, joining in their games, Fox rugby tackled him and Falco added his weight until he fell to the ground. Giggling they pinned him so that he ended up laid on his back with both of them sat on his chest. He sat up pushing them both off onto the sand.

"Silly little pups" he laughed standing up and brushing the sand from himself. He watched as they scampered off to continue their games...

"_No parent should have to bury their child" _

Peppy shivered. In the distance he could hear Falco crying, whimpering, calling weakly for him, but not expecting him to come. Peppy filled with despair. He seemed so far away, he could not reach out and touch him, though he wanted to, the rift between them was too great. All he could do was lend his voice...

"_Don't lose hope... As long as you have breath in you there is hope... be strong my little one..." _

Falco half opened his eyes, he could almost feel a familiar presence in the cell with him... but that was impossible. He wondered if he was finally dying.

"_Don't be afraid... keep fighting and you'll win out... don't ever give up!" _the voice in his mind was stern for a moment then softened again _"Wasn't that what I always tried to teach you? Don't lose hope little one..." _

Falco drew great comfort from the voice.

"_Stand tall, be strong, and never give up. You've always been a survivor. That doesn't end here. Don't ever give up..."_

The voice in his mind faded and the warm comforting feeling vanished like a wisp of smoke. Falco drifted away again.

"Hey Peppy, you sleeping on the job?"

"Huh? What? Falco?" Peppy asked bemused

"No, this is Fox" The voice said tersely.

"Oh sorry Foxy... what'd you need pup"

"I'm lost. Can you scan the area and give me directions"

"Sure thing, bear with me a sec"

There was silence at the other end of the comm. Peppy ran the scan then came back to the comm.

"Sorry Fox, which way you headed?"

"North" he answered irritably

"Ok, take a left then the second right then left again. That should bring you out onto the plains. Did you get all that?"

"Yees. Try to stay awake next time ok Peppy?" Fox said and cut the comm.

Peppy rubbed at his eyes, and tried to force himself to wake up. He yawned loudly. He was having really weird dreams of late, maybe Fox was right, maybe he should lay off the caffeine... _"nah"_. Peppy stood up to stretch his legs. He wandered around the small bridge, for a moment pausing to stare out the main windows at the stars then down onto Dinosaur Planet. Finally he returned to his place by the controls. Slippy would be up to relieve him in a little while. He yawned again, that couldn't come too soon.

When Falco's barely conscious mind heard the name McCloud, oddly his first thoughts were of James, Fox's father, who, 10 years ago had died in the same way he seemed destined to now. Then as his mind came more awake he realised that the two guards standing outside his door were talking of Fox. Falco listened intently, for the first time in what felt like years feeling something other than pain.

"So McCloud's on Dinosaur planet is he?"

"Yeah, from what I heard"

"Does he know about us and Andross then?"

"Doubt it, McCloud's an idiot, just like his father, he wouldn't know a plan if it was staring him in the muzzle. As far as he's concerned that lackey Scales is his biggest problem. They're all fools"

"But shouldn't we just remove McCloud? He could be trouble. He has a habit of sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong"

"I don't think McCloud and his stupid Star Fox will be causing us many more problems" the guard laughed "Him and his dinosaur lap-dog will get ripped to pieces by a SharpClaw sooner or later."

Falco felt something now, fear, Fox was in danger and didn't realise it, though he struggled to understand what Andross had to do with all this, he was dead...

"I don't think Star Fox will be causing anyone anymore problems" He laughed again "Least not judging by him in there. I'll give him a few more days, three at best."

"I dunno- you've seen the things them lot do-they're tough bastards the lot of them."

"Would you call him in there _tough?_"

"Well you've gotta admire a guy that can hold on this long."

"The only thing to admire is Mitoc's skill with a knife. That one will die only when he dictates"

"Yeah but the others... there's only him and the Vulgarian left now isn't there?"

Falco felt sick, how could he say that, just like they were animals to be slaughtered for sport.

"Yeah, the Vulgarian didn't look too good though. I think Slytir's getting bored with him."

Falco didn't want Blaze to die.

"I don't know why they didn't use Star Fox as a hostage. He'd be a good bargaining token wouldn't he?"

"Idiot. No Federation commander is going to negotiate for a _mercenary_" he laughed again "Especially not _that_ one, maybe if it was McCloud..."

"Yeah, they'd pay well for his hide!"

In the cell Falco burned with anger, even here Fox was worth more than him.

"McCloud's making quite a nuisance of himself from what I heard. He's trying to take back the SpellStones. If he does that we'll never get the master weapon working. He might even be able to stop them reviving Andross."

Falco was sure he was hearing things

"Why don't they just send someone to shoot him then rather than risking letting him screw things up"

"oh come on do you really think McCloud can stop _us_. One Andross returns we'll soon have this puny Federation under our fists! With this ship were invincible!!"

In the cell Falco managed to snort to himself. No ship, no mortal man was invincible, anyone who believed that was overconfident. Someday the Cornerian Army, the fleets of the Federation would destroy this beast, whether he would live to see it or not was another matter... but someday even the Behemoth would fall, and that gave him courage.

"_In extreme situations an extreme part of the mind takes over... _

_and all your left with is a monster"_

He had nothing left to lose. As Falco stared down at Blaze's broken body he felt cold, detached. This time there was no grief. He seemed to have gone past that. There was no-one left now but him, no-one else for him to save. The only person he had to get out was himself, he had to get out, to help Fox. He had to. No matter what. He had only to bide his time, wait for Slytir or Mitoc to slip up, underestimate him and give him a chance. Then he would have his revenge, and he would teach _them _what it was to be afraid.

In the beginning Mitoc used to bring guards into the cells with him, but as they grew weaker he had started to come in with only one, then he came in alone, to get his sadistic kicks in privacy, this was to be his big mistake. Falco knew he was alone, he didn't have anyone else left to save, and he'd be damned if he was going to let Mitoc be the end of him, at least not while Fox needed his help. Falco lay on his back in the corner of the cell, listening to the hum of the Behemoth's engines, not really thinking of anything, the darkness made him like that, numbed his mind, he didn't care much about that, that way he couldn't have so many regrets about what his life had been before, what he'd given up. He didn't feel much, mostly hatred, towards Slytir and Mitoc, but even that seemed numb and distant... he was also aware he hated General Pepper, but he couldn't remember exactly why. While Slytir or Mitoc weren't there everything seemed distant somehow, but when they were everything seemed to be thrown into sharp relief, as the light shinning in the open door and the pain made everything, even sounds sharper than they were. Falco lay there not daring to think trying not to listen for fear he would hear footsteps, he was the only one left for them to be coming for. Falco couldn't tell if they came more often now, or less, time was like a bubble, shifting and changing shape as though on his own breath. He heard footsteps; he tried to ignore them, as though imagining they weren't there would make them go away, but they drew closer and he heard the key turn in the lock. The sound of it made him wince, the scratching as the teeth ground against the inner workings of the lock. Mitoc entered alone. Though he closed the door behind him, he didn't lock it.

"Good morning Lombardi!! How _are_ you feeling today?" he cried in mock concern.

The sound of his voice filled him with a primal dread, and turned his heart to stone. Mildly he wondered if this session would be the end of him, and part of him hoped it would be. He managed to open his eyes and look through the darkness at him, the thin light from the door shining on his scaly skin. He was carrying just a small knife. Twiddling it round his fingers for Falco to watch, the anticipation was almost as bad as the pain. Falco let his eyes wander around Mitoc's body, suddenly he noticed something. Mitoc was wearing a gun. He'd never done that before, Falco wondered if he was going to shoot him. Then something else stirred in him. He looked from the gun to Mitoc and back again. For a moment he felt a smile creep across his face. Mitoc approached, Falco tensed his waiting muscles, Mitoc came forward and went to strike him. Falco darted to his side and was aware of himself pulling the gun from the holster at his hip. He rolled to his feet grabbing Mitoc round the neck. He had him in a headlock before either of them knew what was happening. Falco pushed the gun into Mitoc's face, holding him around the neck.

"I'm _blue_" he sneered staring into his eyes. It was Mitoc's turn to look afraid. "Revenge is sweet isn't it?"

Falco pulled the trigger. Mitoc's body, with a hole through its head dropped to the floor. Falco looked down on it pleased and kicked it out of the way, pausing only to take the knife and gun.

Falco couldn't quite believe what was happening, but he wasn't about to hang around thinking about it. He slipped out of the open door and walked quietly along the corridor between the rows of prison cells. He couldn't help but feel remorse that he'd entered with five others but was leaving alone. There would be time for grief later. He walked slowly, his feet plodding softly against the cold floor. Up ahead he could hear voices, two guards discussed something. Slowly he crept up behind them. They were both dead before they even knew he was there. He took one of their larger guns, drew up the mental map of the Behemoth's corridors and ran.

He was past the point where pain could touch him. He was only anger and aggression, and woe betide anyone who got in his way. Falco was gone. Already dead. His body soon to follow, but for now it was a weapon for extracting revenge. Before he finally fell he would take some of _them_ along with him.

Avions move fast, Falco faster than most. He could go especially fast when he was frightened. Most of the first guards didn't hear him coming, until it was too late. Falco opened fire and dropped them before they could even so much as blink. Guard after guard slid to the ground leaving bloody splatters against the walls. Falco became distantly aware an alarm had been raised. All the better, let them come, and his fury would feed on their blood. A voice in the back of his mind called out orders _"Left! Now right!" _as corridor after corridor flashed by and blaster bolts rained mercilessly into unsuspecting chests. The fury fed on the blood, wanting more with every passing footfall. Falco could smell blood, he was drenched in it, his and theirs. His mouth tasted of metal.

More guards came to try and stop him, but he wasn't afraid of their blockades, he wasn't afraid of anything anymore. He ploughed his way through them, gun blazing in one hand Mitoc's sharp knife in the other. He didn't know why he was still alive, he didn't care. The odds all said he shouldn't be, yet he was still on his feet and running-better off dead than giving in. Falco became death on legs, a plague sweeping through the ship, destroying everything it encountered, unheeding of the futile attempts to stop him. Some guards stepped back, frightened of the blue monster drenched in blood.

A set of double doors opened. It was the smell that brought him back to himself. He blinked and stared around the docking bay, rooted to the spot.

"_No way! Why am I still alive?"_

He jumped sideways, turned round and shot out the door controls, sealing them shut, for the time being at least. Now his mind was active again, and it was determined to live. Falco jumped behind a box of supplies near where he was standing, crouching he peered over the top. He couldn't believe it, a short sprint away sat his and Tyson's Arwings and the shuttle. His first stroke of luck for what felt like an eternity. There appeared to be a research team working around the shuttle, probably trying to figure out how to work the cloak. By now they had realised something was wrong, armed guards were approaching his position, they hadn't spotted him, but it was only a matter of time. Four of them between him and his ship. Falco held the gun tightly. He popped up, one shot, one down, next, down, third, down. Falco aimed at the forth and squeezed the trigger. The gun clicked and wined, no shot came out. Falco ducked down again as fire glanced over his head and into the crate.

"_Shit! How could I be so stupid, no ammo!" _Falco felt his heart sink. He'd come too far to be captured now... and Fox needed his help. He looked down. Mitoc's knife was still in his hand. He flicked it over, taking hold of the blade. He shuffled sideways. He stood up and with a flick of his wrist threw the knife. It struck the guard in the chest, not a perfect shot, but good enough. Falco had run past him before he hit the ground. He would bleed to death... "_oh well". _Falco ran for his ship. The cockpit was open thankfully. He leapt up the side and sank into the familiar seat...

The hawk was back where he belonged... soon to touch the sky again. The Arwing became part of him, his wings, his limbs, his hands moved over the controls in a slow motion dance, the cockpit closed and the engine kicked into life...

The sudden blue burn of the Hydrogen engine roasted 2 of the research team foolish enough to work behind. Falco lifted the Arwing off the deck, the movement of the wings broke limbs. He armed the weapons as he turned the ship towards the closed bay doors, as he turned he squeezed the lasers. Ships docked in the bay blew sky high, they in turn taking walls with them. Falco surged forward into the middle of the bay he spun his Arwing quickly as a squad of guards fired on him, their shots glanced harmlessly off the shields. He fired at them and they all died in a huge explosion. He turned his ship to Tyson's Arwing and the shuttle. He fired on them. The explosion from the shuttle was spectacular taking the roof and the floor with it, shrapnel bounced against the triple strength shields encasing his Arwing and him. Finally he turned on the bay doors...

"_Open sesame" _

He squeezed the trigger and the doors blew open, and with them the atmospheric shield went down. Falco's Arwing along with everything else not securely locked down was sucked out into space. A few sharp strikes against the Arwing took the shields down a few points, but nothing to worry about. Falco waited for the flying metal to pass before switching on the cloak. The Behemoth's guns couldn't catch him, they fired aimlessly searching for a needle in a haystack, the fighters couldn't get him either. Falco flew across the Behemoth's massive bow. He dropped all but 4 off his bombs onto it, satisfyingly parts blew up...

"_I should be dead... I should be dead... what's takin' them so long..._

"_Don't push it, run! Help Foxy... run Falco, RUN!"_

Falco listened to the voice in his mind. With the increased speed Salty had given him he fled through the waves of fighters, dodging them like in the asteroid fields. Then one turned that he wasn't expecting, he yanked the control stick to turn away from it.

"_I don't wanna die!"_

The wing tip of Falco's Arwing sliced through the vulnerable cockpit of the ship, instantly killing the pilot.

"_I'm alive? My wing's been better... but I'm alive!" _

Falco made his course erratic as he ploughed his way through. Then all of a sudden there were no more fighters... then the Behemoth was just a distant blip on his scanners... then nothing more...

Falco blinked, fully aware for the first time in weeks. He was alive. He could only ask, why? Why had he survived? Why hadn't he been shot into a million pieces like Tyson? Why hadn't he bled to death? Falco stared down at himself. He needed help. He set the autopilot to take him to the nearest base. Then all of a sudden the adrenalin wore off and all of his pain assaulted him in a wave. With an audible cry of agony he collapsed onto the controls.

Peppy frowned at his coffee mug, suddenly aware something was missing. He rubbed his temples thoughtfully. Then all of a sudden he realised what it was. He took his hand away... the constant headache that had been plaguing him since before Slippy's birthday was gone, it had stopped unnaturally abruptly just a few minutes ago. Bemused Peppy went back to making his coffee.

He stirred to the sound of bleeping. He sat up, and stared around himself, at the stars. He couldn't understand where he was... heaven? With the stars? Then the pain came back... Hell? He groaned and looked down, at the control panel. He remembered where he was, in his Arwing, he was oddly comforted by that. He was alive...was that good... or not? He was free, that made him feel better. The base was showing up on the display. Falco remembered... he was going there... His mind felt fuzzy, his limbs heavy and his body cold. His Arwing flew closer to the base on an automated approach, he felt tired, the world seemed distant and unimportant.

The base towed in the unresponsive ship when its pilot made no effort to land manually. The thud as the landing feet touched the deck brought Falco back to himself. He stared around the busy docking bay. His Arwing was not alone, there was a huge range of ships in the bay, small shuttles, civilian personal transports and even the odd sleek fighter. Falco's Arwing would stand out, obviously marked as Star Fox, but he was past caring. He wanted to sit in the Arwing, he didn't want to move... at least then the team would find his body... they'd have an extra ship then... Falco shook himself mentally, he'd survived this far. He wasn't ready to give up, not yet. Not as long as Fox needed him. He pulled himself out of the cockpit and slid, more than climbed down the side. His mind far away he found the medical kit in the storage compartment along with it a spare jacket, he was cold, he pulled it on, his arms screamed in protest but Falco just didn't seem to notice anymore. Dreamily he walked off... he wasn't aware what he was looking for really, he just wanted somewhere quiet... that was what they said about animals, they found dark corners to curl up and die in. Falco wandered on... he was thirsty... he needed water... and something to clean his wounds.

It upset Falco, how the civilians backed away from him, nervously, as though if they came close they would catch some horrible disease or as though they were afraid his blood would stain their clothes. It hurt him to think how so many had died to help people who would not so much as help each other. It was like being back on Avion, he was invisible, scum to be trodden in and shaken off their boots. He could barely walk, wincing with every step, bleeding freely, and not a soul offered to help him. He wondered what his team had died trying to save. A little girl walked out in front of him, not looking where she was going. Falco stopped suddenly to avoid walking into her. The movement sent searing pain through his body. He let out an involuntary gasp. The little girl looked up at him, for just a moment she stared into his eyes , then she ran, screaming. Though the sound felt as though it would shatter his skull he followed her with his eyes. She ran to her mother who took her up in her arms, comforting her. Falco watched them, for a moment the mother looked up at him, they made eye contact, Falco gazed beseechingly at her, for just a second concern flickered over her face, then as she looked down on her own daughter concern turned to a scowl and Falco looked away. He just wished _someone _wouldhelp him.

"Anyone in here?" Falco shouted weakly. No response. He turned and wedged the door shut. Then once he was sure he wouldn't be disturbed he limped round to the sinks. He saw someone black reflected in the mirror. He jumped and spun round. There was no-one there. Breathing quickly he listened. Nothing. Frowning he turned round to look in the mirror above the sinks. Falco couldn't believe it. It had been _his_ reflection. The face looking back at him from the mirror was truly terrifying. No wonder the little girl had run away screaming. To say Falco wouldn't have recognised himself would have been an understatement. He'd seen corpses that looked better. His face was more black than blue. There were patches where he had no feathers at all, like a mange ridden animal, most of those patches were black with bruising. His eyes... red. Falco suddenly wondered horrified if the damage to his sight would be permanent. He slumped against the work surface, his hands sliding. He lifted them up, they left red smears on the pale surface. He turned around and leant his back against it. He looked down at himself. His jacket covered most of his top half, though the formerly clean grey sleeves were now beaded with pink and red. His trousers were now little more than rags, dirty and soaking, flapping around his painful legs like whips. As he stood there Falco also became aware he smelt of unmentionable things. He felt suddenly very dirty. He staggered away from the sinks and went hopefully round one of the corners. He found what he'd been hoping for. Showers.

Falco had given up on standing, He just sat there motionless, watching the blood turn the water yellowy red and flow down the plughole accompanied by the occasional blue feather. Something nagged at the back of his mind that this wasn't the best idea, but it didn't seem to matter anymore, the warmth in the water soothed the pain... made it seem far away.

"_Falco... Wake up!"_ Falco never had been able to refuse that voice. Peppy was calling him.

"_Yeah, come on Falco, quit hoggin' the bathroom"_ Fox was here too. They'd found him! He could go back, they'd been looking for him! Everything was going to be alright...

His eyes opened. He was still sat on the floor of the shower. The water still rained down on his head. Falco looked around for Fox and Peppy, then he realised they wouldn't be there. His world seemed to crumble around him and he found himself sobbing.

"I want to go home" he said, his voice sounding like a lost child, pleading with the fates to bring its mother to it. The fates hadn't served Falco too well recently and they obviously weren't going to oblige today. Mildly Falco wondered what the team would think when they were told his body had turned up in a space base toilet, if they would even care. He sobbed some more. Thinking of how far away they were always made him want to cry, and then the thought that he might never see them again hurt even more. He was alone... Silver... Salty, Blaze, Tyson, Lupus all...gone... forever...

Finally he managed to make himself think straight. Slowly, painfully he pulled himself to his feet. He had to hold onto the walls to stand. Even his feet hurt. He swayed miserably for a moment dripping wet and shivering slightly. He wondered where he had gone wrong in life as he stood there, soggy and shivering, his mind a fragmented blur, why had this happened? What had he done to deserve this? He wondered if he was being punished... punished for being something evil, like his father had said all those years ago... something insidiously evil within him that he could never escape... or even hope to understand, he would only be punished with pain and despair for it for the rest of his life... and maybe even after... Falco shook away that thought... he'd stopped believing a long time ago...

As he gazed into the mirror again he realised patching himself up was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. No matter what he did he was going to stand out, especially considering the state of his clothes, or rather what was left of them. He couldn't wander about like this, aside from the effect it had on the civilian population it wasn't practical, he would freeze if he ended up on just about any planet. He looked at his face again. Dignity and self-worth had stopped meaning anything a long time ago. He frowned at himself in the mirror, but the frown turned into a wince of a powerful headache, he tired to shake it off, put it aside, until he worked out what to do. He looked down at his hands, again resting on the pale work surface. His biochip nestled in the space between his thumb and index finger would have given up on him long ago. They were attached to the heartbeat of the owner, if it stopped for more than a few seconds it would deactivate, and could only be restarted again by the police or a doctor. Falco could numbly remember them taking the resuscitation equipment out of the cells, he'd been dead more than once, but Slytir and Mitoc had brought him back so they could inflict more pain. Without his biochip and bank details he couldn't buy what he needed, he had no money. He had nothing.

"Oh today just keeps getting better." Falco mumbled to himself. He knew what he was going to have to do, and the worst part was he knew how, and had done it before. Stealing had never been something Falco had done lightly, but once he'd found out where all the StreetRunner girls went every night he'd stopped worrying about it, and under Jedd and Altayu's guidance had become an accomplished thief. Falco could still remember the look on Peppy's face when he'd told him, he hadn't known what to think or say... That didn't matter for now. He had to patch himself up, before he bled to death.

He noticed for the first time how sorely inadequate the medical packs were, either that or Falco was more of a wreck than the kits were designed to save. He pulled out the contents across the sinks, the basics, water purification tablets, plasma vaccine, one thing he actually _didn't_ need, bandages, suture kit, painkillers, industrial strength antibiotics, antiseptics, local anaesthetic and several hypodermic needles... Falco didn't know where to start. First priority he supposed was to stop himself bleeding to death, grimly he took out the suture kit, now he just had to decide which wounds he would have to stitch and the ones he could afford to leave. He was never going to have enough to stitch all the ones that needed it. Grimly he found the needle and thread, grimacing he began on his arm, he didn't have enough hands so he had to use his beak instead, he winced at the fresh pains, not wanting to waste the anaesthetic. He found his fingers wouldn't move, they made doing the stitching almost impossible. Every stitch took him twice as long as it should have, and was excruciatingly painful. Finally he finished when he ran out of suture material. The rest of the deepest wounds he glued with the medical glue and hoped for the best. Then he turned back to the medical kits. He found the painkillers, he stared at the bottle, the dosages for him were written on the side, he had to stare at them for a long time before he could read them. Finally he drew out the dose, and stabbed the needle into his leg. It wouldn't be as quick as intravenous, but it would find its way into his system sooner or later. He repeated the process with the antibiotics, slightly more than he was supposed to, but he had lots of wounds to go septic, and that was the last thing he needed.

Falco stared at himself in the mirror again, his reflection gazed unblinkingly back, it seemed harsher now for some reason, even when he forced a smile his face seemed to remain angry, almost aggressive, even though that was far from how he felt. His appearance wasn't helped by the bruising around his eyes and the crack in his beak. He stared at himself, Falco smiled briefly, he wondered if even Peppy would recognise him... _"Yeah he would... but Fox wouldn't, unless I wore a sign..." _He noticed his face didn't seem quite so harsh when he thought of Fox, Slippy and Peppy. He sighed, again remembering the look on Peppy's face when he'd told him he'd once been a professional thief... he'd been appalled... maybe even disgusted... that was what that face had been... he wondered what he would say if he knew he was about to put his light fingers to work again. Falco shook himself. He needed new clothes, and if he tried to buy anything with a biochip that didn't work it meant instant police involvement, something he couldn't afford. Slinging his bag onto his back he unblocked the toilet door and stepped outside, hoping no-one would bother to do a genetic trace on the blood he'd left on the sinks. Mildly he pitied the mess the cleaner would find.

Modesty was cheap in the Federation. Falco walked out into the base, trying his best to ignore the discerning looks he was getting. It really was like being a StreetRunner again; people looked at you out of the corner of their eyes, but still kept a distance. The people pretended he wasn't there, only looking at him to ensure like a pile of dirt they wouldn't step in him or only scowling when they thought he wouldn't see. Falco sighed to himself, he should be used to this by now, but as it had when he was a child running the streets of Malcapay, it still hurt. Falco sighed, and looked down on himself, it would be even harder now than it was then. He'd promised himself he'd never do this again. He'd always hoped he wouldn't have to; he'd never thought he'd be in this position again. But he always been taught to do what had to be done, and not think about it. Mildly he wondered if he could still do it, he wasn't exactly inconspicuous, his clothes marked him out as something unpleasant before they even noticed the blood, Falco wasn't sure if _all_ of it was his own. He wasn't sure if he could run, they'd catch him. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, all he knew was he didn't relish the idea of _another_ prison. He continued to walk, for a moment delighting in the newly recovered freedom to choose _where_ he walked. He stumbled past a café, the smells coming from it reminded him he hadn't eaten in a countless number of days. He had food in his ship he told himself, he couldn't risk it. As he passed a girl, maybe his age wiping a table with a cloth looked up at him, she met his eyes, which startled him so much he stopped. For a moment her eyes flicked up and down then returned to his. During this time Falco recovered from the shock and started walking again, swiftly, turning his back on her and trying to slip into the crowd. Falco heard running feet for a moment.

"Hey, are you alright?" She called after him.

"Kaiya where are you going?" The running stopped

"There was an Avion boy... like the one form Star Fox walking past, he looked really hurt..."

"Probably just some drunk, do your work..."

Falco sighed sadly to himself, he'd just been offered help, and he'd run away. Maybe he didn't want people to care about him. He looked about, everyone else was treating him like dirt, the girl was one of very few. Up ahead he noticed what he was looking for, a clothes shop selling disgusting and overpriced goods. Falco eyed it form a distance, wondering the best way to do it. Jedd had taught him lots of methods, but most of those involved being part of a team, doing anything alone was much harder. There was always the old standby of "I have a gun, and you don't", but that was best avoided if you wanted to leave with your hide intact. Falco looked down at his arms again; one more hole wouldn't make that much difference. Still he couldn't afford to be identified, or he could have half the Federation breathing down his neck, not to mention Peppy. He eyed the shop and pinpointed the things he needed. It would have to be a grab and run operation. In the state he was in anything more subtle simply wouldn't work. Carefully he looked up at the signposts for the direction back to the docking bay. He took a deep breath, again looked at his targets, the things he needed to steal against the position of the staff. He waited for a moment for one to move away, took another deep breath, and ran at the shop.

Falco raced in along his pre-planned route, snatching the first things his hands touched. He gasped in sudden agony as pain ripped up through his fingers. Things clattered to the ground behind him as he swung round in a loop to head out again. The staff and customers looked up startled just as he swept out of the door and the security alarms rang out, their shrill whistle piercing into his skull. He raced away from the shop, his feet pounding hard against the ground. Then he heard someone from the shop give chase. He didn't want to have to run all the way back to his ship, but he wasn't fast enough to get too far ahead, far enough to loose them. His feet hurt, his legs hurt, he cried in pain as he ran. He could feel tears streaming down his face. He wanted to give up. He felt as though his lungs would burst and he'd only been running a few moments. His top speed would normally have left all but the athletes of most races wallowing in the dust, as it was it was all he could do to keep the distance between him and his pursuer. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't force any more speed from his limbs and with every stride it became more and more painful. He passed the café. The girl looked up at the sound of the commotion and again their eyes met. She looked at him concerned, and maybe startled and shocked as he ran past. Falco was sure he couldn't run for much longer. The security guards would get him and then... there would be more prisons and a lot of explaining to do, and therefore, more pain. He shook his head and bit back the pain and tried to inch just a little more speed out of his limbs. Then as he ran he saw the doors into the docking bay, he ran through them, his feet sliding on the landing surface. He ran past ships both large and small, then finally he saw his silver and purple angel, his Arwing sitting serenely on the docking bay floor. The cockpit opened automatically as he approached. He ran up to it and swung into the cockpit with well practised grace, ignoring the pain it gave him. Once inside the Arwing again Falco felt safe, as he had on the Behemoth. He pulled up and away, a little of his personality coming through as he turned towards the doors as he raised his hand to wave at the shop staff and security guards that had been just a little too slow.

"_RedEye Lombardi runs again" _Falco thought to himself as he undercut a personnel transport leaving the base. A burst of speed and he was gone.

Falco was glad to get out of the stinking clothes, though what he'd stolen was far from perfect it wasn't cold, wet or full of holes. For a moment he revelled in the warmth a new jumper gave him. He knew where he needed to go now, a new and crucial mission awaited him. He set the homing beacon to look for Great Fox, it found her, not so far away, barely a day's travel at top speed, in the Lylat quadrant, not far from the Lylat system itself. He set the autopilot to take him there and watched the stars flitter slowly past in the blackness of space.


	4. Part 4: The CloudRunner

Part 4:

THE CLOUDRUNNER 

"_Shouldn't we just remove McCloud? He could be trouble..."_

"Now entering Great Fox's sensor range"

For a moment Falco didn't know where he was, then he remembered. Instinct took over. He pulled the handle for the cloak, it engaged smoothly with a whine. Falco frowned at himself, he wasn't entirely sure why he'd done that... Then a whole host of reasons flashed across his mind – "_no-one will believe me, they'll lock me up if they find me, no-one will believe Andross is coming back ... and if Peppy sees me like this... I can't let that happen" _

Falco spotted Great Fox in the distance, tears again pricking in his eyes, he'd do what he came to do and leave. Nothing more.

"Accio, tayho von quxoho. Shalme kao CloudRunner. Sonné don cuxof zuk? Talreac sonné val heray?" Falco nearly leapt out of his feathers at the sound of the voice on his comm.

"What the hell?" Falco asked himself "now there's one language even I've never heard. Maybe Slippy'll have made a translator" Falco chuckled "Well, there's no way Fox can speak that"

Great Fox grew bigger in the distance.

"Shalarac! Sonné don cuxof zuk? Alaso talaran saber tunay? Kao Krazoa soran Krystal, alfalfa sorray Dinosaur Planet. Shalme kao CloudRunner!"

"Alright, alright hold your horses!"

Falco tuned his Arwing into Great Fox's database and quickly downloaded all the new language files. His actions didn't provoke a response from the ship; unless Slippy looked really hard through the computer he would never know anything. After a few seconds the new programmes were uploaded.

"Sonné don distress signal. We are the CloudRunner. Are you receiving this message? Please respond. Our world is being torn apart, we need assistance!"

Mildly Falco wondered why they were still calling for help when Fox was already there. Then he noticed the planet, it really was being torn apart, fragments from the very surface had been torn away, leaving burning scars beneath. He shook his head, wondering if he was seeing things, evidently he wasn't. He whistled in awe to himself.

"This is Falco Lombardi, receiving your message... Err... How can I help?"

There was a pause.

"What skills can you offer us Falco Lombardi?"

"I'm a mercenary... or I was. I'm wiling to help you for free though"

The voice seemed to speak to another "Another mercenary, we don't want their kind"

"He's willing to work for free. Why is that Lombardi?"

"I have a score to settle and answers to seek on your world."

"Just like the girl. She was a mistake."

"I will be coming to your world either way. I can see it's in trouble. I like to help people, that's what I do, and why I'm not a mercenary anymore. But I would be grateful of an explanation as to what the hell is going on."

A new voice, old, spoke quietly "Let him come, better he is with us than running around meddling in things he does not understand. The SharpClaw will breach our defences soon; we need all the help we can get. This one will have off world weapons."

"We can manage without _his_ kind"

"This one _is_ different to the fox and the girl, let him come, he could be of great use to us, especially with his fighter craft."

There was another pause.

"Alright Lombardi. Our fortress is located on one of the fragments of the planet, coordinates are being downloaded into your navigational computer now. Come to our fortress and we may be able to help each other."

Falco watched as a signal showing the route to their fortress through a tide of asteroids flashed up on his screen.

"Roger CloudRunner, I'm on my way."

Slippy turned to the bleeping on the radar. It looked almost as though a ship was entering the planet's atmosphere, but when he scanned there was no ship. He was intrigued. Fox was hung up in the Volcano Force Point temple and wouldn't be coming back for a while so he felt it was safe to move Great Fox to investigate.

Falco watched Great Fox move her orbital position to one that would bring her closer to his entrance vector. He smiled to himself, Slippy hadn't changed, he was still as sharp and inquisitive as ever. He found that made him laugh softly. Slowly the void of space gave way to an atmosphere that shouldn't exist on the fragments of the planet, Falco thought what a strange place it was. Then as he monitored Great Fox's movements it occurred to him that as soon as he dropped the cloak Slippy would realise he was there, and then soon enough _everyone_ would know. He'd have to do something about that. The fragment of the planet was quite small, only a few hundred miles across. Falco soared over it, over lush green forests that shouldn't exist at all where he could see birds flying, then in the distance the plateau he was flying over dropped away abruptly to water. Then standing in the middle of the vast lake surrounded by the forest plateau he saw it. An enormous fortress of green blue stones, he stared at it in wonder, it was the most beautiful thing he'd seen for a very long time. It rose out of the water like some glistening emerald, its many high roofs stretching into the sky, smiling Falco understood why they called themselves the "CloudRunner", their homes really did seem to reach to the base of the clouds, and maybe even beyond.

"Falco to CloudRunner, I'm here"

"Right Falco. Bring in your ship in to dock"

Falco was surprised to see small enclave in one of the rock walls beneath the main body of the palace light up and landing lights directing him in. This world really was full of surprises. Slowly he guided his Arwing into the docking bay. What he presumed was a CloudRunner sat listening to the noise of the Arwing and tried to look in the right direction. The CloudRunner jumped as the Arwing reappeared. As he lowered the Arwing to the deck he opened a channel to Great Fox.

Slippy jumped as Great Fox's sensors were suddenly assaulted with a mountain of new information, they all began to bleep at once. He logged an Arwing, one of theirs, highly modified, and an Avion bio signature that could only belong to one person. The most prominent emotion Slippy felt was relief, Falco was alive, they could all stop worrying now.

"Slippy. I know you can hear me. Respond"

Slippy again jumped, startled by the sound of the familiar though long unheard voice.

"Falco??!! Where've you been hiding? We were beginning to give up on you!"

Slippy wasn't sure if his relief came through in his voice, he couldn't have expressed it in words even if he'd wanted to, but that would probably embarrass Falco, and in the worse case scenario, scare him away.

The sound of his voice, familiar... comforting, Falco wanted to go home, not be here. He sighed "Nice to know you have so much faith in me. Its good to hear your voice Slip'" He would probably never know how good.

"Are you coming aboard, are you going to help Fox, is that why you're on the planet?" Slippy asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"No. I'm not coming aboard Slippy"

The tone of his voice more than his words made Slippy's heart drop. The relief suddenly went away.

"Why not? Peppy misses you, a lot, so do I and Fox won't admit he does. Wait and I'll call them; you can talk to them too-"

"No! Slippy you can't tell them I'm here!" Falco cried desperately cutting him off.

"Why?"

"That doesn't matter. I just don't want them to know. You have to keep my secret Slippy. Once I'm finished I'll be gone and they never have to know I was here."

Slippy felt physically sick. Falco was going to run away again, a mountain of questions ran through his mind, why was he leaving? Where would he go? Where had he _been_? Why didn't he want them to know he was here? Then, though he was angry at himself for thinking it, what had he done wrong that he didn't want anyone to know about? He shook himself, that didn't matter.

"But...but Peppy he's-"

The thought of Peppy made Falco's heart go like ice, he was the one person he wanted to be with most, and the reason he couldn't go back. He'd always felt safe with Peppy, he wondered if he'd ever feel safe again.

"Please Slippy promise me. It's really important that no-one finds out I'm here" He croaked, his voice choking.

"Why?" Slippy asked again, gently, the pain in his old friend's voice too clear to ignore.

"It just is!"

Slippy just knew he didn't want to upset him and scare him away, for now he'd agree, he could sort something out later, and at least while Falco trusted him he wouldn't be alone.

"Alright Falco, I promise. But I'm going to be watching you, if you get into trouble I'm gunna tell them."

"Trouble's what I'm here for Slip' don't tell them. No-matter what happens"

"But... what if... what are you doing down there?"

"Sorting out one of the CloudRunner's... Little problems..."

Slippy would be dammed if he was going to let Falco get into trouble and not do anything about it, but he wasn't about to tell him that.

"Falco... be careful ok?" There was silence on the other end of the comm. "Whatever you did, whatever you've been doing... it doesn't matter ok? Whatever trouble your in I'll still stand by you buddy."

"...Why do you assume I'm in trouble?"

Slippy wanted to kick himself "I- err didn't mean it like that. Its just that you're afraid to go to Peppy"

"Yeah, I am"

The end of the line was quiet for a moment, then went dead.

Irritably Falco flicked the switch to turn off the idling engines as he lowered his aching head to the control panel. He didn't have long to reminisce however as the CloudRunner walked up to the side of the cockpit. He opened it and looked down on the creature.

"You are to accompany me" It said firmly, fixing him with a fierce yellow gaze oddly like his own. Grimly Falco climbed down the side of the Arwing. The creature seemed taken aback when it laid eyes on him, the startled expression in its eyes was one that perhaps would only have been read by an Avion or a fellow CloudRunner. Falco stared at it as they walked, it was like a cross between an Avion, a lizard and a dragon. It walked on two legs, sharply clawed, so much so that they clicked on the floor as they walked, a long tail was held out stiffly behind it, swinging from side to side as it walked. Its body was fairly short, but a long neck curved up for a long way so that its head was above Falco's. The CloudRunner had a long, almost Avion head, its yellow eyes facing forward looking down a pale brown beak, though not hooked like Falco's. On the back of its head stuck out a bony crest. It had no forelimbs, these had been replaced with wings, huge dark brown almost leather like things, thick and strong unlike the membranes of a bat's wings. The CloudRunner skin was pale brown and scaly although unlike the shiny scales belonging to the Dinosaur like creatures on the Behemoth , the ones like Slytir and Mitoc, these scales were matt, almost like processed leather, Falco was sure that if he reached out and touched him it would feel like leather too, though he didn't dare, for fear of offending something so much bigger than himself.

Falco felt as though he was at a meat market, being herded. The CloudRunner walked behind him saying nothing. In any other situation Falco would have found their home beautiful. The fortress was all built from some sort of smooth green blue stone that Falco could almost see his reflection in, not that he wanted to. He was shepherded intro a green courtyard and made to walk around the edge of the grass under a covered section. Then he was taken out across the grass to a podium type arrangement where several CloudRunner waited. Falco walked up to them and just stood there, unsure as to what to say or do. He looked around, several large CloudRunner stood facing him and more seemed to be arriving every moment, surrounding him. Falco heard a noise. Flinching he looked up. A CloudRunner flexed its huge wings where it sat looking down on him from above. Falco felt thoroughly intimidated, he didn't know what to do with his hands, they kept inching towards his gun, carefully so as to avoid hurting his various wounds he put his hands behind his back and wrapped his fingers gently together so he couldn't reach his gun easily. He wouldn't give the best impression if he appeared trigger-happy, and he knew that any one of the creatures around would be more than a match for him, even the smaller ones. He could hear them whispering to each other, but was unable to catch the words. Two looked at him critically then laughed. Then finally Falco spotted what he guessed was the leader, she came forward, looked Falco up and down then spoke.

"You were all the universe could offer us?" she said. "We were better off with the girl"

"Wait!" An old CloudRunner said appearing from the side "This one may be better"

Falco guessed he was the same one who had spoken for him before.

"Better?? Look at him! He looks as though it is all he can do to stand before us!"

Falco glanced around briefly but said nothing. "We ask for help and all we get is this wraith and an incompetent girl!"

"I'll leave if you don't want me" Falco said slowly, turning unsteadily to go.

"Wait child" the old CloudRunner said coming closer to him. He looked him steadily in the eye for a moment then nodded "He is good, better than the girl"

"Alright sage, we have little left to lose. The fox seems to be worth his money anyway. This feeble one can't hurt, I place him under your care, do with him what you will"

Falco had looked up suddenly when she had said "fox" but decided it was best to say nothing.

"Come with me Falco Lombardi" The old CloudRunner said before walking off down a passageway. Falco followed. He spoke again as they walked. "This part of our fortress is currently free from SharpClaw, though it will not remain so for long. The able members of my race are fleeing. Though I'm afraid we have few places left to hide. Our queen has been captured, many of our warriors are dead, our system of government has fallen.... This fortress however is not your concern. I for one believe there is more at stake here than just our world, and Krystal may have made it worse."

"Andross?" Falco asked

"Yes. You know of him?"

"All too well" Falco spat

"I knew the fox had met him before, I did not realise you had"

"Fox is my friend. I once flew with the Star Fox team. Everyone in the Federation has heard Andross' name, more or less. I was one of the ones who flew against him last time he attacked. Now more than ever I have my reasons to want to see him destroyed"

"You know the fox?"

"Yes, he is a very close friend of mine... or at least... he was... Why the hell am I telling you this?"

"If you were once one of his team why aren't you with him now?"

"We... parted ways... I can't go back to them now"

"Why not if he is your friend?"

"I'm not here to talk about Star Fox! How do we stop Andross?"

"You'd like to go back wouldn't you?"

"How do we stop Andross?" Falco asked angrily, pushing back the pain.

"You miss them. You regret ever leaving; you wish you were with them, not here"

His thoughts were as loud as though he shouted from the rooftops, and they betrayed his heart.

"Shut up!" Falco cried angrily. The shout hurt his chest. The CloudRunner watched him falter, unmoved.

"Your last mission went badly. You failed"

"Shut up..." Falco said but weaker this time.

"Were you with them on your last mission? Were you the reason it failed? Did you leave because you were ashamed or did they tell you to go?"

"No..." Falco said biting back the pain, barely able to breathe. The CloudRunner waited until Falco was on his knees before he came over.

"I'm sorry. If we are to proceed I must know what happened. The best way to make you tell was to bring you to your knees with the pain until it gets so bad it holds you there, and you have no choice but to talk if you ever want to stand again. You must tell me what happened. It could change things going on here greatly."

Falco stared at the CloudRunner with dark, angry eyes, filed with smothered pain. The old sage sighed to himself, this one was going to be difficult, but he held promise such as he had not been seen for many generations in his race. He went as close to the crouching child as he dared. It was obvious what had happened to him, anyone could tell just from looking at him. Friad wondered if he would be up to the job emotionally, let a lone physically. Falco looked at the ground and would not meet his eyes.

"_I am sorry child; I will help you... if you'll let me" _

Falco's head snapped up.

"You-You're a telepath?" he asked his voice shaking.

"Mm, in a manner of speaking" he decided it would be best if he waited to explain the truth about that. "My name is Friad"

Falco looked back at the floor. Friad didn't dare get any closer. He would have liked to help Falco up, but he knew better than to touch him. Touch would not happen for a long time, until he had earned his trust. Friad watched as Falco forced himself to stand, he could see him wincing, but eventually he stood shakily on his feet.

"Follow me." Friad said.

Friad walked off and Falco followed.

Friad led him to a room deep in the fortress, he pushed open the door and went inside. Falco was surprised by what he found, light entered the room through a small skylight but other than that it was thickly walled. Falco shuddering was reminded of his cell on the Behemoth. The room contained a bed and what he guessed was a perch for Friad. This suspicion was confirmed when he flapped his leathery wings and hopped onto it. Falco staggered into the room, it felt like and eternity since he'd seen a bed. He felt as though it was calling him, he was suddenly beset by a deep weariness.

"We knew you were coming, it is not usual for our kind to sleep in that manner"

Falco sank gratefully onto the side of the bed, but from the look Friad was giving him he knew sleep would have to wait. Friad decided to try a different method, a test.

"Tell me what happened and I will allow you to sleep"

Falco looked at him uncertainly. Friad held his breath, waiting for the response. Falco didn't speak, instead he laid down carefully, flinching when his back met the bed.

"I'll tell you" He yawned "until I fall asleep, after that you can do what you like to me, I guarantee it wont be anything new" Falco watched for Friad's reaction, to judge whether he was serious or not. Friad realised Falco was testing him, he smiled. He was pleased, the child still had some of his spirit left, whatever had served him to keep it there was strong. This one had promise...

"You are either very brave or stupid"

"Neither... but I've seen the reverse psychology used before... by an old friend... very effectively I might add, and I've lived in the environments where people prey on your worst fears and use them against you... more than once" Falco's empty face broke into a smile, Falco was aware he hadn't smiled for a long time "but if one or the other... stupid... Stupid for coming here, into _another_ war zone"

"You had your reasons though didn't you?"

"Yes. Revenge" Falco definitely had spirit even if it was flamed by anger and hurt. Falco sighed "And to help an old friend... I could have turned my back on him... but I didn't..."

That was it, loyalty, faith and a deep friendship with someone... the fox. Friad grinned to himself. Then sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought... Of all the people...

"Talking about it will begin the healing process..."

Falco looked up at him sadly.

"I think you already know what happened and I'm very tired, so I'm going to make this as quick as possible, and leave your mind to fill in the gritty details. Mission briefing style.

"I ran with the Star Fox team up until a disagreement with the leader Fox McCloud, after this I left, intending to return later - once we'd both cooled off a bit... As I flew I encountered a ship, the Behemoth..."

"They wanted something they called... err... SpellStones... I have no idea what they are, to use as some sort of power source, for their master weapon and from what I heard they intended to get them here. I also heard something about reviving Andross, although I still don't understand how that's possible..."

Watching Falco relive what had happened was awful. He should be telling this to someone he trusted and loved, not him, a stranger. Friad sighed to himself as Falco came round from another flashback. He'd heard enough to understand the wider reasons why their world was being attacked, but Falco continued to speak, and Friad listened right till the end.

"I homed in on Great Fox knowing that it would be around Dinosaur Planet, that's when I picked up your distress beacon and contacted you. I still don't understand why I'm any different to Fox in your eyes, but here I am, as asked. Can I go to sleep now?"

"Yes..." Friad couldn't say anymore to him, his eyes closed and he was gone.

"_Help me... I'm dying" _

Fox stopped abruptly. He'd been alone with a dinosaur too long. He was hearing things.

"_I need Krazoa spirits or I will not survive"_

Fox frowned down at Tricky, he seemed to hear it too. Maybe he wasn't going mad.

"_please... help... me..." _

She coughed, Fox had to admit, her voice sounded kinda nice, the thought of this girl in trouble unnerved him.

"_Please...don't hurt me!" _

"Sounds like she's in trouble Fox" Tricky said

"But I can't stop now to help this stranger!" Fox mused... "what about the mission?"

"Whoa!! A Krazoa!" Tricky shouted.

Fox spun round to face a giant Krazoa spirit. Its long face with a chin like a beard peered down at him from two stories up. To his surprise it spoke.

"She is in great danger. She is trapped at our palace, until all six Krazoa are returned there she will remain so. Her life force is gradually ebbing away. She does not have much time left. If you wish to save her you must collect the Krazoa spirits and return them to the palace. If you do not she will die. Follow the path and you will find us."

The Krazoa pointed with its head (it didn't seem to possess arms) at a place in the wall of the snowy canyon Fox was walking down where he could climb up onto a ledge above.

"The choice is yours" The Krazoa started to fade away...

"Hey wait!" Fox called but the spirit was gone. Fox turned helplessly to Tricky "What do we do now?"

"Falco, awaken. You must drink something"

"ugh... Peppy?... you sound funny" Falco groaned.

"No Falco it's me Friad... The CloudRunner"

Falco opened his eyes and turned to look a him.

"You know that's the first time in... heaven knows how long I haven't been woken up with a knife... it's kinda nice, even though you're not Peppy"

Friad smiled, Falco was going to trust him, hopefully. Friad held out a bowl, cautiously Falco reached out to it. He took hold of it hands that shook more than he remembered and sniffed it carefully, it didn't smell bad.

"It is water, laced with something to ease the pain"

Falco looked at, swallowing anything was dangerous, could hurt, especially if he didn't know where it came from. He drew it closer to his face, keeping one eye on Friad. He sniffed again, still it only smelt of water. He let the top part of his beak touch it, the liquid didn't burn like the stuff he could just remember them throwing in his face... that he suddenly remembered was why his eyes hurt. Finally he took a sip. It hurt his throat as it went down. It tasted like water, but there was something behind it, a familiar taste, but Falco couldn't quite remember what it was, he decided he didn't care, as his body suddenly demanded more with a thirst that hadn't been there before.

"Easy child" the CloudRunner soothed as Falco began gulping at the water "What wounds we could help you with have been dressed-" Falco dropped the bowl, looked down at bandages on his arms and went to rip them off.

"No!" Friad shouted moving forward to try and stop him, only just catching himself as Falco pressed himself into the wall. He stared at him, frozen, his body rigid. "Please understand little child we do not wish to harm you. I would like to be your friend. You must trust us as... we need your help" Falco's eyes moved and his body relaxed a little "Our doctors tended to you while you slept. I watched over you all the time to make sure they would not hurt you, I hoped our medicine would make you feel easier, please tell me if that is not so"

Falco couldn't deny that he was right. The pain though persistent was more distant, breathing was no-longer the agony it had been.

"I doubt our medicine is a good as what you are used to, but we have done our best to help you..."

Falco started to frown

"We ask nothing in return"

His frown changed to pleased surprise

"Although I would ask you to help us... if you are still willing"

Falco nodded carefully, his voice seeming to have gone wandering all on its own.

"Good. If you feel strong enough I will show you the palace, before night falls..."

Falco again looked surprised

"You have been sleeping for some time..."

Fox stood panting before the strange purple Krazoa. The Test of Combat was over, he guessed he'd have a few new bruises to add to his collection as a result, but now he'd won the right to return the Krazoa to the palace, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not... well if it helped the girl... Fox and the Krazoa looked at each other for a moment. Its almost translucent body reminded Fox of some sort of ghost, it was all a sort of head, it didn't have a body, it had a flat face with long "hair" flowing out behind it. The Krazoa rushed at him, it hit him in the chest and threw him back.

"Arhhhh!" Fox screamed as he felt the Krazoa enter his body with a whooshing sensation that spread out from his chest. It wasn't exactly painful, but Fox definitely wouldn't have called it pleasant.

He walked, or rather limped along slowly by the CloudRunner's side. Friad was patient, and never walked faster then he could manage. He talked softly, telling Falco about the various parts of the fortress and what they were used for, even though he seemed aware Falco wasn't paying particular attention. Falco's tired mind found that every passage and corridor looked the same, he didn't bother trying to remember his way around. Falco simply enjoyed being able to walk and feel the wind and the sun on his face. It had been a very, very long time. As he grew more and more tired he found himself longing for the simple pleasures of the bed he had only shortly left behind.

Now that he wasn't so exhausted sleep was long in coming. He remembered that he now hated to be alone more than ever, but he'd been too afraid to ask Friad to remain with him. As he lay there in the dark everything that had happened began to sink in for the first time. In the stuffy room in the middle of the Fortress he was reminded of his cell. The screams of the others began to reverberate off the walls. He realised the others wouldn't be coming back. Finally Falco cried with the grief he hadn't had the strength for before. He cried long into the dark hours, until at last he had no strength left.

He lay on his back staring up at the stars, listening to the little dinosaur Tricky's snores from where his head rested on his stomach. Fox couldn't sleep. Having the Krazoa in his body felt odd to begin with, but now he didn't even notice it anymore. He could hear the chatter of a little CloudRunner somewhere, they seemed to have been following him all through, as though watching over him. Even with Tricky there Fox felt lonely, the dinosaur wasn't exactly the best of company, and definitely not the most intelligent of conversation. Fox found it hard to admit it to himself, but, he missed Falco, even though his conversation wasn't very intelligent either. This would be his kind of mission, lots of open space, sentients who could fly, Falco's dream. Fox sighed absently and rubbed Tricky's head where it rested on his stomach. Had Falco been there when the mission was called he would have joined Fox on the surface. He was almost as good on the ground as in the air. Fox sighed, if Falco was there he would probably be sleeping or keeping watch nearby. Fox even missed his sleepy mumblings, the times they had shared a room Falco had always spoken in his sleep, to the point where Fox had threatened to smother him in the night. Fox sighed, it hadn't taken much for him to threaten Falco like that. They'd been in enough fights, Fox had always thought of it as light hearted fun, but as he lay there in the dark he wondered if Falco had seen it in the same way. For the first time in his life Fox supposed not, who would, when they continually came off worse. Fox sighed, it had been one fight too far, one too many bloodied beaks, and one too many cruel words, Falco obviously couldn't take it anymore, and had finally left. Fox sighed, maybe he'd really hurt him this time... he'd never even had the chance to say goodbye... or to beg him not to go... Fox had always assumed Falco would turn up again when it suited him, but it had been almost four weeks now with no word, that was out of character, even for him. Fox began to wonder at the possibility that Falco would _never_ be coming back. He tried to shrug away the idea, but in the darkness it grew. Fox felt sick, and worried, his mind played out scenarios that would account for his extended absence. None of them were comforting, and he wouldn't have wished the fates he imagined on his worst enemies, let alone Falco. Fox tried to shake it off. Falco could look after himself. Nevertheless the creeping, uneasy sensation in Fox's gut intensified. He sighed and heard himself mumble.

"I hope you're safe... and... happy, wherever you are"

Fox frowned at himself, he'd never admitted he cared jack shit about what happened to Falco before, even to himself. Fox growled, even if he and Falco had their differences what he was doing to Peppy wasn't fair. Falco knew Peppy would worry about him if he just disappeared. Peppy had always only had two rules where leaving was concerned, they could go whenever they wanted to, now that they were old enough, providing, they told him where they were going, and they kept in touch. They all owed at least that to him, but Falco had broken both those rules in one foul sweep. That made Fox very angry, it took him a moment to realise exactly why. He wasn't only angry on Peppy's behalf, Falco had run out on _him_... And Slippy too. In doing so, with no warning, he had left them short of one pilot and made their margin for error tiny. If one of them was ill or injured Star Fox would more or less be taken out of commission, you can't do combat flights with only two pilots. Fox's hands balled into fists. If Falco didn't turn up soon he would have to look for a replacement. Fox allowed his self-preserving anger to fade again. Falco was one of a kind, he doubted he would ever find anyone who could replace him. Fox missed him, and he wondered, if maybe he had shown it a little more often Falco would be here now, muttering inanely in his sleep.

"What are you doing?" Falco jumped and spun round to face Friad

"Making sure no-one can ever be held in these cells again" he growled, lowering his gun from the lock, not caring what the CloudRunner might do to him

"Yes... that could have been a very stupid thing to do Falco. Where are we to hold any captured SharpClaw now?"

Falco hadn't thought of that.

"uh..."

Friad shook his head "Never mind, come away now child before you get yourself into more mischief. This is not the best part of the Fortress for you to see"

"yeah your prison blocks" Falco muttered angrily

"A necessary evil, you'll understand"

Falco snorted "how many people rotted away in them?"

"None" Friad looked back at Falco "We are _not_ a savage race Falco. We keep the cells to protect the majority against the dangerous few. Rather than having to deal with them in any other way-"

"No you just leave them to rot, where no-one can see-"

"Falco! I know you have your opinion of prisons but that _does not_ give you a right to judge our system of justice."

Cowed Falco followed him in silence.

"Sorry to shout at you child... I was worried about you when I found you gone from your room so early this morning..." Friad said softly.

"Really?" Falco's voice was filled with surprise.

"Yes"

"Why?"

"Because I don't wish to see any _more_ harm come to you. Is that so very hard for you to understand"

Falco couldn't answer that "...Rooms like that one make me itch, I don't like closed in spaces"

Friad cursed himself. He should have thought of that.

"I see. Then perhaps we can move you somewhere more airy"

"Can I sleep outside?"

"That may be a little too cold-"

"Please, I don't want to be behind thick walls, I want to be able to see the sky, as high as possible"

"We have a flat area of roof... I'll have some blankets moved there, but you'll have to sleep on the ground"

"That's ok" Falco sighed gratefully

She was beautiful. Hanging there motionless, like a perfect marble carving, preserved in blue diamond or ice. Her body slender, perfectly shaped and formed. Fox couldn't see her eyes, they were closed, but he imagined them the most wonderful watery sapphire blue, glinting with life. He imagined she would be a very nice person to talk to, someone that pretty was bound to be nice, and friendly. Smiling Fox decided he'd like to get to know her. He'd invite her back to the ship once he'd finished rescuing her. She'd be able to make herself at home and-

"Fox what are you doing down there? You haven't got time to go chasing girls! Release the Krazoa and get the hell out of there. We need that early completion bonus! The fridges don't fill themselves you know. So get your ass moving!"

"Thanks for that Peppy" Fox growled "I thought I was in charge"

"Someone needs to remind you what your supposed to be doing" That was usually Falco's job "hurry up Fox... its about to rain where you are"

As if by magic the first large drops fell onto his head. Shaking his fur he scurried off to release the Krazoa.

He stood before the statue, uncertain as to what he was meant to do. Then it started to happen, something started fizzing and bubbling up within him. The Krazoa stirring. The sensation turned his legs to jelly, forcing him to his knees. He gasped as the Krazoa strained to be released, stirring his insides up. Then he saw the purple creature streak from his body, pulling and ripping at him as it left. He cried out in surprise more than pain. Once the Krazoa was gone and his body was truly his own again he knelt on the floor, shaking and weak. It took him some time to find his feet again.

"Well... I want to know he's safe" Falco said carefully "That's why I came here in the first place"

"We have spies Falco, our younglings" he paused "the CloudRunner and EarthWalker don't get along so well you see... It was the EarthWalker who called Fox in... or at least he was employed on their behalf. We'd called in Krystal... but that didn't turn out too well... When Fox arrived our cynical leaders believed that someone called in by the EarthWalker could only be a disaster... they sent spies to follow him... our rivalry is why we were still calling out for help when you arrived. Fox is already being watched over by our younglings"

"What do you mean your younglings"

"The babies of this species"

"Yeah but by the time they come back and tell you Fox could be dead"

"I am a telepath I see the images they see, they will send me the images if Fox is in trouble; we call it Projecting. Observe."

A strange sensation filled Falco's mind and suddenly an image of Fox walking through a group of trees, so vivid and clear Falco felt as though he really could, if he wanted to reach out and touch him.

"He is well looked after. He has recovered the first Krazoa, to help save Krystal."

"That's what I don't understand... what are the... Krazoa and the SpellStones... what do they have to do with Krystal... who is she for that matter? Where does reviving Andross comes into all this?"

"The SpellStones are basically energy conduits, they store and transmit the energy within this planet. The Krazoa are magical spirits, peace spirits, capable of giving life. _They_ have the power to bring Andross back"

Falco looked sceptical.

"I'm serious. It can and will happen if we don't do something about it. I know what Andross did to the wider Federation. I know of the wars he caused and the blood he shed. I have no wish to see a _Third _Andross War, and I have even less wish for it to originate here. His followers heard the legends of the Krazoa, recovered his spirit or whatever you wish to call it and brought it here for them to revive him. No-matter what you believe about life and death, it is possible here, though he won't have his old body. As I said the Krazoa are magical spirits who are part of what holds this planet together"

"I never believed in magic. Especially not now" Falco said coldly. Friad shrugged.

"Most things people used to call magical can now be explained away by your science... but I've always believed that that took something away from life. What's there to live for if you can't look around yourself and hope there is something more than what your eyes see?"

Falco looked up at the sky.

"I used to pray... I'm not sure who to... anyone who would listen, pray for a miracle... There's been nothing magical about my life. On the Behemoth no-one was listening to our cries. I stopped believing a long time ago..."

"We all need something to hold on to... it doesn't matter what it is. Surely you must believe there are miracles and magic in the world _somewhere_"

Falco looked up again sadly, he watched a bird float slowly by. He closed his eyes and let his head rest on his hands for a moment.

"I like to believe that Salty and Silver aren't really gone. That there still out there somewhere... and that they'll be waiting for me... on the other side... With what you said about Andross, maybe that isn't such a false hope..."

Friad nodded "Many races across all the universe believe there is more than just this life... they can't all be wrong"

Falco shrugged angrily, angry at the pain in his chest, it always seemed to be there, hiding, not far from the surface.

"I wont be holding out for your magic to save me. I'll take a gun and my wits any day"

Friad sighed. "What do you do when they fail you?"

"Die. Just like everybody else " Falco answered angrily, trying not let his voice shake.

"The pain will ease... it doesn't last forever" Friad said gently.

"What would you know about it?!!" Falco asked angrily, but regretted his words as soon as he spoke.

"More than you might imagine... I am very old Falco. I have seen many young ones pass away before their time. I'm tired of it. I'm not sure how long I have left..."

"Don't say that!" Falco pleaded. Friad looked up at him.

"You said much the same thing, not in so many words, but I knew what you meant. You say it with your eyes."

"I miss them..."

"I know... but it will get better, you just have to be willing to give it time"

Falco looked out across the smooth water around the base of the fortress, up at the sky, then turned and looked back at Friad.

"Peppy used to say that wounds take time to heal, and not all of them go away..."

"Your friend is wise... he must have seen some things to talk to children like that"

"Yes... he wont lie to us... He and I share... a lot now"

"Peppy recovered..."

"He isn't the person he was before... and wont ever be again"

"Everything that happens to us changes our perception, changes who we are, our personalities evolve as we grow older, none of us are standing still, people change, for good or ill. You can't expect to be who you are now forever, and you wont be, you are not the same now as when you were four, and you wont be the same when you're fifty. Time waits for no-one, we can only hope to use what we are given well... I was a warrior once, a very long time ago, I know how it feels to lose a team-mate..."

"Five at once...?"

"More or less... When I was a warrior we used to fly in huge squadrons, I was only young then, not much older than you are now, the last time the SharpClaw rose up against us. We formed an alliance, the CloudRunner, EarthWalker, SnowHorn, HighTop and ThornTail against the SharpClaw and RedEye armies. The LightFoot used to swap sides depending on who was winning. Many were killed, after the worst battles I can remember flying over and seeing bodies strewn from horizon to horizon, it was inevitable that some of those would be my friends, whole families, generations could be wiped out in a single day." Friad looked around sadly "That is why there are so few of us. We used to have a thriving population, into the hundreds of thousands, but there were always more SharpClaw... now we are lucky when our numbers reach ten thousand after a good season. Our world was devastated by the conflict, but we won and the EarthWalker and CloudRunner became this planet's dominant species... Thanks to Andross and General Scales we risk a repeat of that war. The EarthWalker, charged with the protection of Krazoa Palace have suffered losses that they might not recover from... They were slaughtered by SharpClaw carrying weapons the like of which we have never seen before... ones like that." Friad pointed his beak towards the blaster at Falco's hip. "We have no defence against off-world technologies. When Andross' forces arrived there was nothing we could do to stop them. Anyone who tried to stand against Andross was massacred... we soon learnt to let them do as they wished. The CloudRunner have been watching them build a tower on the slope of one of our highest mountains for many moons, we tried to stop them... many tried... all failed. Our weapons are no good against them. Andross and his forces have upset the fragile balance that held our world's society together. You, Fox and Krystal will help us right that balance"

"How? I still don't know who Krystal is!"

"Patience, patience, I'm getting there! First... we... you must destroy that tower. I do not know what they are doing up there, and I have no wish to find out. I believe that whatever that thing does, it's not designed for our world. I know little of your Federation, but I believe in your ways this planet is not far from one of yours with the largest populations, and a government centre."

"Corneria, Shit! And Katina! They have some of the biggest aerial and ground armies based there, if they knock those out... there really will be nothing to stop the Behemoth! Whoa Venom really are determined this time... they must have outside help... but who?"

"The Behemoth, needs the SpellStones?"

"Yes"

"If the planet looses those and blows up the tower will no longer exist, they must intend to use the tower before all the SpellStones are taken off-world..."

"Or just before... at this distance... just as they retrieve the last SpellStone, before the planet blows apart... how long will that take?"

"A few hours, a day at most."

"They use the tower then... but how? Ugh where's Slippy when I need him? Friad do you have any pictures?"

A mental image arrived in his mind a tall tower with a massive dish on the top.

"EMP!!!!" Falco shouted loudly. Several baby CloudRunner leapt into the sky in alarm and even Friad spread his wings "Fuck! The SpellStones are just giant batteries right? They're going to use them well before they blow up the planet! They'll need a massive power supply, hopefully Fox will stop them ever taking the SpellStone there but if he doesn't... they launch an EMP or something like that... every electrical system between here and Corneria will be fried... every fighter, shuttle and... Great Fox will fall out of the sky! Federation wide panic! The Behemoth can just wipe Corneria off the map without anyone to challenge it... they wont even need their master weapon at all... their master weapon starts off here... maybe that's what it is, most ships have some shielding against electromagnetics, but not on that scale... no-one will ever get to engage the Behemoth! They'll have the Federation on its knees in a few _days_! And then Andross will be free to take over."

Falco looked very pale. He stared at Friad terrified for a moment then threw up over the side of the balcony they were standing on. Friad was silent for a moment, while Falco tried to subdue the hysterical panic in him, and force his lunch back into his stomach.

"We need to destroy the tower"

"Need too?" Falco groaned "That's an understatement. We _have_ to. I'll take my Arwing up there now, blow it to bits."

"They will spot you and shoot you out of the sky"

"Then I'll call Slippy and have him use the orbital cannons-"

"They have the power to destroy Great Fox, you said that yourself. They will use it if they have to. You must strike it yourself."

Falco pulled his aching head up from the balcony wall.

"...I don't think that even if I asked for help from my friends they would think it possible... _I_ hardly believe its possible... I do have to do this alone..."

"The tower is not all there is to it. Even if you destroy it our world is still in danger, and with it yours. _This_ is where Krystal comes into it.

"When Andross arrived here we were watching. By then the SharpClaw had already removed some of the SpellStones so the planet was already in pieces. We'd called for help and Krystal turned up, I taught her telepathy, so she could better communicate with us, as I hope to teach you. She was there with us when the shuttle bringing him landed. When the shuttle landed Andross' spirit just flew away, Krystal, Nomad my son, and I just watched it float away, we could see him, but the SharpClaw could not. After that Nomad took Krystal to Scales' galleon and then on to Krazoa palace believing she could be of help there, and for what little part she played she was. She released a Krazoa... but unfortunately she was captured, she fell into Andross and Scales' trap, she was held in a sort of SpellStone of her own, to act as a conduit for the disbanded Krazoa's power. She gave them exactly what they wanted. Without her Andross could not be revived"

For a moment Falco looked angry

"Do not be angry with her. It was easy mistake to make, she was only trying to help, if it had not been her it could easily be Fox where she stands now, and then we really would have a problem. Krystal is dying because the Krazoa are draining her energy to help hold the planet together, give us air to breathe here, they do not care that they are killing her, or realise what will happen if she dies and they are left without anyone to drain. They believe they will be reunited soon, if they are not... our world is doomed, and many others along with us. Once united their power is vast, they will give Andross his life simply because they can. Krystal will be released then, with her strength returned to her. The Krazoa will not do harm to anyone, but they will not look beyond the present. Krystal is running out of time..."

"well what can we do about that?"

"That's where you come in again. Once you have destroyed the tower you can help Fox collect the Krazoa"

"Fair enough"

"There are six, Krystal returned one, Fox another and Scales has the sixth."

"What? How?"

"Some time before Andross and Krystal arrived Scales and his army attacked Krazoa Palace. There was one EarthWalker there who had been my student in what you call telepathy, with his dying thought he cried out to me. Alarmed I flew straight to Krazoa palace with one other, my daughter Kayla. We flew to Krazoa palace, when we arrived there we saw such a massacre... as I have said, many, countless, EarthWalker lay dead, or dying, along with only a few SharpClaw... We flew the palace, seeking the cause of the destruction. We found Scales along with a troop of SharpClaw and... creatures like Fox, Canites you call them isn't it? And other species, there were so few of them for all those who were killed. We watched them at a distance, they went up to the sacred place, where Krystal is now and dispelled the Krazoa... as they dispelled one entered Scales' body... my daughter... Kayla... she saw what they would do and flew out to stop them... they shot her from the sky with one of _your _weapons. My fear held me silent and in place, and I suppose that was what saved me. I watched them... toy with her body... then they left, in a big shuttle, all but a few who were left behind to patrol the palace and wipe out the remaining EarthWalker in the back quarters of the palace. I flew then, back here, and I watched the planet break apart beneath me." Friad paused and sighed "I lost a daughter to this war already... I may yet lose a son. Nomad and a few others launched an offensive against Scales and Andross just after Krystal became trapped. He was captured and taken to Dragon Rock."

"Then we have to save him!" Falco shouted. Friad knew he'd touched a bone.

"No. There's a SpellStone there. Fox will free him I'm sure..."

"Oh he will, don't worry" Falco said reassuringly, he paused "I'm sorry about your daughter"

Friad bowed his head "So am I child"

"I'm- sorry for the things I said, I didn't think"

Friad smiled a CloudRunner smile at him "Do not worry, I know when you grieve yourself you rarely have the time to comfort the grief of another"

Falco shook his head "But I should have..."

"Don't worry about that child, there are bigger things for you to worry about. If you are to help us I must teach you what I taught Krystal..."

Friad usually taught his students to speak before teaching them how not to listen, but he could see the usual methods weren't going to work this time. Falco had been born with the gift of hearing and his nature let him listen.

"You hear the voices of the ancients don't you Falco?"

"What? What do you mean... like ghosts? I don't believe in ghosts"

"It seems Falco you don't believe in very much. Call it what you will... an extra sense so to speak. You could say you can read others, even though you don't intend to. You've had premonitions... dreams haven't you"

"Oh come on that's just stupid coincidences! Last night I dreamt Fox grew wings and flew out of one of Great Fox's windows, you don't see that happening do you?"

"Was it that that made you scream so?" Friad asked softly

Falco looked at him but said nothing.

"You are lucky I think. You know which of your dreams are premonitions and which are just dreams. They leave you tired and drawn... more so than before you went to sleep."

Mildly Falco wondered how he knew that. He'd never really told anyone, not even Peppy.

"You must learn to harness your gift and use it to your advantage. I can teach you how-"

"I haven't got a gift for you to teach me to use!"

"Yes you have, but you will never find it if you don't believe it's there! It's not really that hard to learn, but the first step is believing you're capable of it! Damn it Falco you've done it before but not realised what you were doing!" Friad cried in frustration. _"I can see this isn't going to work on you, you really are as stubborn as a mule. I will plague your mind until I make you use your gift, respond telepathically or force me out. I wont stop until I force you to prove it to yourself!!"_

"How do I force you out?"

"_Envisage a wall, think of pushing me out, different things work for different people, come on Lombardi fight me!" _Friad knew that what he was doing was incredibly cruel, not to mention dangerous, if Falco was as strong as he thought he had the potential to kill him if he completely lost control. Friad knew they were walking on a knife-edge. If he had a flashback now, Friad might not survive it. Falco felt himself growing angry at Friad, this however naturally made him do as he'd said, he automatically hardened himself to Friad's presence in his mind.

"_Come on Falco you can do it. Force me out, come on!" _

"This is stupid!" Falco stood up and walked away, angry, trying to get away from Friad. "It's impossible. I can't do it!"

"You never will if you think like that. You have to believe in yourself" _"And make a leap of faith"_

"Stop that!" Falco said.

"_Come on Falco make me stop. Block me out of your mind. Come on fight me, that's what your good at_" Friad's comment had the desired effect, Falco's anger intensified to a frightening level. _"Come on Falco, fight me, force me out" _

"Shut up! Get out of my head" Falco shouted, and tried his best to force the voice out of his mind, drown its noise in his own memories of silence "Get out, get out!!"

"_Come on Falco you'll have to try a bit harder than that!"_

Falco concentrated again on blocking out the noise, frustration and anger willing him to succeed, did he have nothing left? If even his mind wasn't safe from their prying, their violation?

"_Come on Fal-" _

The sound stopped. Falco and Friad exchanged mutually surprised looks. Friad tried to finish his sentence but couldn't, Falco's mind seemed to be protected by an impenetrable wall. Friad was surprised by its strength, most of his new students' defences could be broken down with just a nudge, by the looks of things Falco was gifted, even if he would never admit it to himself, either that or he had a lot to hide

"Well done" Friad said sincerely "It is very few who learn that lesson so quickly"

Falco blinked confused, his anger receding, and with it the blocks.

"_It worked" _Falco was even more shocked "Did I do that? Did you hear that?"

"_Yes. Well done Falco you did it. I told you it wasn't so hard. Now you've done it once you wont need to be so angry to make the blocks"_

Falco looked very pleased with himself, especially for someone who had stubbornly maintained it was impossible. He looked like a child with a new toy, or one that had just learned to ride a bike. Friad was relieved to see the anger drain from his face, if he'd gambled, and lost...

"_You have learned to speak, you should be proud Falco, you learn very fast, now I wish to teach you something different..._

"_The sentient mind is like a glass sphere." _Friad sent him an image of a glass ball filed with swirling colours. _"Fragile, easily shattered" _He paused. The colours within their glass case continued to swirl, blues, reds and greens all looping together as though in some glorious Technicolor dance. _"within that mind you store everything, who you are, your memories, for that is all that's left of the past" _Friad gave him a meaningful look _"For better, or worse memories are all that remain... In your mind you store these memories, orderly, all in their proper places. The good" _The colours in the globe swirled, bright blues, greens and yellows danced at the forefront of the globe. _"And... the not so good" _The colours changed, dark purples, blacks and blood reds filed the perspective, Falco's heart went suddenly cold. _"As long as the globe- the mind remains intact thoughts mostly stay in their proper places... although like spectres they can sometimes creep up on you when you are unsuspecting. But for the most part the mind is a logical ordered place... to a grater of lesser degree in the individual!_

"_However things can come about to change that. As I have said the mind is though forged of glass. It is easily destroyed." _Falco watched as the colours in the globe swirled faster, then they blasted out all angles, so suddenly he jumped, colours raced in all directions pursued by a tide of black, until it all grew dark. Falco opened his eyes, he hadn't been aware they were closed. Suddenly he felt very sick.

"_It is easier to shatter than most would admit. The strongest minds have been known to crumble in minutes... given the right... encouragement."_

Friad stopped, waiting for Falco to understand the deeper meaning of his words. He seemed to be thinking, holding his head in one of his hands where he sat, slouched.

Finally he looked up and Friad saw fit to continue. Falco became aware of activity in his mind's eye again before Friad spoke.

"_The mind can be mended. You must pick up the shattered pieces and rebuild"_

Falco was reminded of Peppy, "Pick up the pieces and carry on" was one of his favourite proverbs. Within his mind the colours burst out again, splattered in gaudy patches seemingly across the entirety of the inside of his skull. As he watched sparkling crystals, reflecting the colours in an unseen light, like glass drifted towards the centre again.

"_This process takes time, there is no quick fix or easy route, the healing process comes naturally in most-if your mind is set that way, to want to get better... Time is what you need... don't we all? There are however a few things you can do to hurry the process along, which can only be good, for all concerned."_

Falco looked up and nodded. He would try anything, anything at all if they told him it would help make the pain go away. He listened carefully to Friad and did his best to follow his instructions, willing now to believe in what Friad was teaching, he would believe in anything that had even the slightest chance of helping make him better.

Fox couldn't breathe. He was locked in a room rapidly filling with gas coming out of the floor. He coughed hard, pain wrapping round his lungs like a rope. Desperately he climbed onto the highest object in the room, trying to get away from the acrid green smoke. Higher, in cleaner air his chest and mind cleared a little. He had to get out of this room. He was running our of time. Drawing a grenade from his bag and hoping the gas wasn't flammable but not knowing anything else to do he threw it at the door. A few seconds later. Bang! He wasn't a toasted fox, he guessed the gas wasn't flammable. Through a hole where the door had been he could see light. He leapt towards it, outside breathed in air, glorious wet salty sea air! Tricky came up to him where he knelt gasping.

"Fox you ok? I tried to follow you but the door shut before I could get there! Did you need me?"

"No, its alright Tricky" Fox gasped "Hey do you hear that?"

Below Fox could hear weeping.

"Yeah I hear it..."

"Come on"

Fox led Tricky down onto the sandy shore below where clear blue waters lapped up against the yellow sand. It was the kind of place you saw in holiday brochures, or at least it would be without the patrolling SharpClaw and gigantic HighTop imprisoned in the middle of the small inlet, his legs and long towering neck chained to four huge rocks sticking out of the sand. Fox hadn't bothered trying to rescue him, it seemed he was too stupid to even realise he'd been captured in the first place. Fox's ears led him to the source of the weeping. In the cliff that made up the side of the inlet of Cape Claw he found a small cave blocked with bars. Carefully Fox approached them.

"Err hello?"

The weeping stopped, there was a flurry of movement, a sweeping sound, like a sail catching the wind, a flash of a shape and yellow eyes. After more shuffling Fox saw the face that held those eyes. A yellow beak was pushed up against the bars with yellow eyes lodged in a brown head. Fox's first startled thought was that it was an Avion, then as he looked more closely into the darkness he saw the shape of a long neck, but the body remained hidden in shadows.

"Fox-Fox McCloud?" A woman's voice asked

"Yeah... how'd you know that?" Fox asked

"Never mind. The SharpClaw locked me in here, you must get me out!"

"Who are you lady?"

"I am the queen CloudRunner" At that Tricky made a noise like a hissing cat and backed away.

"Foolish little EarthWalker. The SharpClaw put the bars in while I was unconscious, I cannot move them."

Fox examined the metal bars. They were drilled well into the rock above and below into the sand. Scratching his head Fox tried to think of a way to get her out. After a moment he drew a blank.

"Fox to Slippy"

"What is it Fox?"

Briefly Fox explained the situation "Any smart ideas my genius buddy" Fox asked hopefully.

"uh... What'd you have?"

"This staff- couple a grenades-"

"You can't use the grenades, the rocks'll collapse and you'll crush her!"

"Duh Slippy, I'm not _that_ stupid"

"Well, I dunno...What else you got?" He said laughing

"Not much... my blaster, PDA, med-kit, combat kit, the usual!"

"Umm... I don't know Fox, short of dropping you a welding kit... how hot does that staff burn d'you think?"

"Not that hot Slippy"

Slippy groaned thoughtfully. Fox could just imagine him chewing the end of one of his tools in concentration.

"I don't know Fox... Hang on... Peppy report to the bridge"

Silence for a moment.

"Fox are the bars drilled into a overhang or do they go into the main face of the rock?"

Fox went closer to the cliff to get a better look, he climbed up a little.

"No they go straight into the main cliff face"

"Bollocks. There's no chance of chipping the rock off then-"

"And less of that language" Peppy's voice

"Hey Pep'"

"How you doing Fox?"

"Ok, 'cept we got a bit of a problem even Slippy's giant brain can't solve..." Fox again explained the scene.

"well they got them in there, there must be some way of getting them out" Peppy logical as ever

"unless they planned on leaving her here to starve to death" Fox mumbled

"Please you must get me our of here! I have to return to our fortress, something terrible is about to happen there!"

"Ok, ok we're doing our best!"

"Fox, you're sure there's no mechanism for lowering the bars"

"Not that I can see"

"Well have a look around, make sure we aren't missing anything" Frowning Fox began to explore the local area "What puzzles me is how they managed to fit the bars before she regained consciousness. The SharpClaw aren't the brightest stars in the sky, I can't see how they managed to fit those bars so quickly without some sort of pre-prepared mechanism or outside help" Slippy mused

"Fox how many bars do you think you'd have to remove before she could escape?"

Fox looked back at the cave entrance

"Two, maybe three"

"Wait... maybe we're coming at this from the wrong angle..."

"What are you thinking Peppy?"

"Fox, is there anywhere that looks disturbed, footprints... loose rock... soil?"

Fox paused

"Yeah... now you mention it... at the side here, next to the bars" Fox pushed at the rock "its soft" he rubbed soil between his fingers "Like its been filled in"

"There you go, you don't have to move the bars, Tricky's good at digging, and you're a strong boy, with no aversion to hard work" Peppy chuckled "I 'spect you'll have her out of there in no time!"

"I don't know what we'd do without ya Pep'!" Fox laughed

"Cook your own dinner!" Peppy retorted

"Hey I cook sometimes!" he said as he and a reluctant Tricky started to move the rubble

"Only when I threaten you"

"Even then, it tastes horrible! I prefer Falco's cook..." Slippy trailed off, forgetting that he was the only one who knew of his presence on Dinosaur Planet. Fox was still angry and Peppy was secretly afraid he was dead.

"Fox out"

Again Slippy had the urge to kick himself. He watched as Peppy turned awkwardly away.

"You know Peppy... I'm sure Falco's safe wherever he is" Slippy said softly. Peppy didn't look round. "And he might not be as far away as you think he is" he was walking in dangerous territory now. Peppy looked round, an eyebrow raised enquiringly. "Because I know no matter how far away he is he'll always think of you" He blurted out, knowing it was the truth "And... I bet he misses you as much as you miss him, if not more... you've still got us, he could be all alone..."

Peppy raised the other eyebrow and sighed.

"You wont ever do that to me will you Slip'?"

Slippy shook his green head "No, not on purpose."

"Good." Peppy briefly wrapped his arm round his shoulder.

"I'm sure Falco isn't trying to hurt anyone. He's... just doing what he thinks is right"

"And which idiot taught him to do that" Peppy laughed gently and hugged Slippy tighter again "Do you think I'm being a silly old fool?"

"No... I'm worried about him too" With perhaps more reason. At that moment Slippy desperately wanted to tell Peppy the truth.

"But Fox..."

"Since when did you let what Fox says get to you? He's just angry, its his way of not showing he's upset... right? That's what you used to tell us"

Peppy laughed, and Slippy was glad to see it "So you did listen to some of the things I said then"

"Of course, we always listened to what you said Peppy" he giggled

"Hey..."

"Don't worry about Falco... he'll be ok..."

There was a flurry of wings. Fox only just got out of the way before the CloudRunner ploughed her way out of the cell. Once free she stretched her wings and shook herself before turning to Fox and Tricky.

"Thank you Fox" She held her head up high on her long neck and folded her dark wings behind her. "I can't stay long, I have to return to the fortress." She turned her yellow eyes on Fox "hmm... I am a Gatekeeper. I will open the path between here and CloudRunner fortress, I fear it is in great danger. If you wish to help us bring your ship and follow me. For now we have what you seek at our fortress, but you'd better be quick or the SharpClaw may find it first!" She laughed an upper-class laugh then lifted her head to the sky and closed her eyes. Fox watched amazed as a purple vortex formed in the sky.

"Take care Fox McCloud, we wouldn't want your General's money to be wasted" she laughed again, eerily, and lifted into the sky "it is a shame _you_ do not work for free" She laughed and flew away up towards the vortex, leaving a confused Fox standing on the ground.

"What was all that about?" he asked Tricky scratching his head

"I don't know... Stupid CloudRunner they always talk in riddles"

"But, how did she know all that?"

"They probably have their spies watching us... they're everywhere. EarthWalker hate CloudRunner!"

"Tricky you're paranoid... but... do you think we'd better help them anyway... what do you think they have that we're looking for?"

"Fox you idiot she was talking about a SpellStone! Hurry up and get up there for goodness sake!" Peppy's voice. Frowning Slippy wondered if she'd meant something other than a SpellStone...

Friad looked up suddenly, as though startled

"It is time Falco, we have to leave for the tower. Get your things, quickly child!"

Falco stood "W-Why the hurry all of a sudden?" he asked grabbing his combat gear

"We need to get away from here fast!"

"Why?" Falco asked again

"Scales and the SharpClaw are coming"

"Well can't I help you-"

"No! This fortress is not _your _concern,you shall not die here!"

"But Friad I can't just run away!"

"We can look after ourselves. You must not be here when they arrive! If they recognise you, they will kill you outright. _You know too much!_ You are very dangerous to them and their plans! You cannot remain here!" Falco hadn't thought of it like that. "We _must _leave, now! come on my back, I will fly you to the mountain!"

In his desperation and hurry Falco forgot about his fear of touch and leapt onto Friad's back with surprising grace.

"Hold tight!" Friad cried and beat his power full wings. Falco felt a surge of energy as all of Friad's tightly coiled muscles released and they sprung into the air. He was flying!! He's always dreamed of being able to fly on his own wings, this was close enough!

"I have to open the gateway Falco, I'm a gatekeeper you see..."

"What?!" Falco shouted over the noise of the wind as they climbed higher and higher.

"Just watch"

Falco watched. Ahead a swirling purple vortex formed in the sky, which Friad flew towards.

"_Don't be afraid... Its perfectly safe..." _

Friad flew up into the vortex and Falco's world seemed to go into overdrive. Colours changed to purples and reds, all the while he could hear a rushing sound. The world seemed to spread out and then compress. Through the purple streaks Falco could see stars. He and Friad seemed to tumble in all directions, though he always remained on his back. Then abruptly it stopped. Falco felt as though he was upside down, then realised he wasn't.

"_Hold on!...Are you alright back there?" _

Falco still felt dizzy, he shook his head trying to get rid of the feeling.

"_The nausea will pass" _Friad told him _"look, we are on the main part of Dinosaur Planet now"_

Falco looked round to observe fields below them _"We passed through space... that shouldn't be possible!" _

"_But it is. The Gateway protected us. Our species have used this method of travel for centuries. It comes in especially handy now the planet's in bits! But it's best not to leave our pathways open for everyone to use!"_

Falco looked back to the vortex and watched it close.

"_Ok Friad... I give up trying to understand this place" _

Falco held onto Friad's neck, bent low over it. Just enjoying the ride. He watched the green of the hills flick away below him. It occurred to him that it would be a nice place to go walking, he'd bring Peppy here... Wait... No... Falco felt sick, he'd probably never see him again, let alone have the chance to go hiking with him, even if he survived the week. Suddenly feeling the wind rush against his face and the steady beat of Friad's wings wasn't so exhilarating...

"_Why such heavy thoughts child? You seem to weigh heavier on my back all of a sudden"_

"_Sorry" _Falco said before realising he was speaking metaphorically _"I was just thinking how beautiful your world is" _

"_And that makes you sad?" _

"_not as such...I'm just sad I'll never get to share it's beauty with anyone"_

"_Why do you say that? You're friends will join you here, if you ask them"_

"_But I can't do that... I'm not welcome with them anymore."_

"_I don't think that's true, no-matter what happens to my son Nomad... no matter what he does I will always love him, he'll always be my son"_

"_In my experience it doesn't work like that"_

"_Then you have been very unlucky little child... but I did not mean your genetic father..." _

"_If I go back to Peppy and he realises what happened... It will destroy him" _For a moment Friad feared Falco would fall from his back, but then his grip tightened again _"I'm not willing to do that to him." _He paused, that was the real reason he wasn't going back... _"Besides Fox isn't exactly going to welcome me back. I hit him for goodness sake! What was I thinking? You don't punch your commanding officer!"_

"_Wasn't it him that threw the first punch? If it was you have a right to defend yourself" _

"_I don't remember now, it seems like an eternity ago" _Falco paused _"You must be worried for your son... If Fox does not help him, I will"_

Friad chuckled _"So noble a gesture... I am very worried about him, as _any_ father would be... but I trust in your friend. If he's anything like you I'm sure Nomad has nothing to fear!" _

Falco laughed bitterly _"If Fox was anything like me your son would already be dead" _

"_The only difference between you seems to be _your_ lack of faith" _Friad said sharply

"_Faith didn't do me much good before" _

"_You must believe in yourself!" _

"_Why? That only leads to arrogance and _that_ is something I despise."_

"_There is a difference between being arrogant and believing in yourself." _Friad sighed _"Your lack of faith is painful to behold little child. There is so much in you you should be proud of"_

Falco just snorted.

"_I believe that... even if you refuse to"_

"_It seems as though you have enough_ _faith for the both of us" _

"_Were you always like this?" _Friad asked

Falco's eyes narrowed _"Like what?" _

"_Did you ever believe in... anything?" _

"_I believed in the Cornerian Government until they screwed me and my team." _

Friad's wings continued to beat. In the distance Falco saw something black rising up against the mountains

"_I must believe in something... otherwise I wouldn't be doing this" _

Friad still said nothing. Falco pulled the black combat gloves tighter onto his hands and checked the gun and clips were tightly at his hip.

"_Besides I already told you... I used to believe... then I was forced to take a cold hard look at the world and I realised that if I hung around waiting for magic or whatever to help me I wouldn't last very long" _Falco felt his hands clench into fists _"I can put it down to a day, if you really want to know"_

Friad suddenly felt he'd gotten more than he bargained for, and realised he's walked into an emotional minefield, and decided it would be better if he just shut up.

"_One moment in time..." _Falco closed his eyes _"Take it away Friad... You can do things with memory... I don't want to remember the bad things... why is it that that's all I ever seem to remember?"_

"_That's how the mind works, to try and prevent us repeating our mistakes" _

Falco said nothing, instead he was happy just to watch the countryside pass away below them. The tower growing larger in his sight.

"_Drop your height now Friad, they probably wont spot us but the lower we are the better our chances of getting in unnoticed"_

Friad said nothing, but responded by lowering his height so that Falco could see their shadow flashing across the grass and stones below.

"I have lost a daughter to this nightmare, I may yet lose a son, I wish to see no more death. Be careful little soldier." Friad gently stroked his head along Falco's side. It was the first affectionate touch Falco had felt since before he left."Don't let this be our final parting."

"It won't be. I'm coming back"

"Good... I must leave you now child" Friad beat his wings and lifted into the sky, the downdraft almost knocking him from his feet _"Be careful Falco" _he said before turning and flying away.

The mountains reached up into the clouds, their tops covered in white snow shinning in the sunlight. Cold damp winds wiped his coat around him. The air smelt fresh and cold, grinning Falco closed his eyes and thought back, indulging in a momentary fantasy. He and Peppy were outdoor people, he'd never been to a mountain with anyone else, and they seemed to have their own specific smell to them, their own sounds, and their own feel. His eyes still closed Falco wondered if it was the thinner oxygen, the Avion lungs were designed for that, it was as close to the sky as he could get, with his feet still firmly planted on the ground. Opening his eyes he surveyed world around him. The place where he stood was on a steep hillside, the grass was short, damp and muddy beneath his feet, beaten down by the wind that constantly lashed itself against the hillside, though somehow to his left a forest stood up against the elements, its trees bowed to the wind casting forbidding shadows across the damp grass. Falco turned to look ahead of him. The mountain sloped down to a more hospitable landscape, below long yellow green grass waved in the gusts of wind as the shadows of clouds flittered over them, beyond that vast flat green planes spread out to the edge of the horizon broken only by the distant meandering of a river. When he turned to look up the mountain became steeper, rising more and more sharply from where he stood so that in only a few 100 metres he would have had to climb instead of walk. The grass hung on stubbornly for a little further, then reluctantly gave way to bare rock, where only the most sturdy of moss could cling to its surface. Then as the mountain rose up so high it almost crooked his neck the firsts of the snow was apparent just as the peaks disappeared into the low cloud. To his right the tower, vast and black, scowling down on the otherwise beautiful landscape, its massive dish sitting on its top just waiting to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting peoples of the Federation. It was the kind of thing people looked back at in history books and sighed, sighed because the grief was not their own. Falco wanted them to be able to do that in the next generations, and not be living under Andross and his followers fists, if that came to pass the history books would be very different.

Falco looked up at the tower, Friad had dropped him off in a good spot, a small rise in the terrain hid him from view of its base, carefully he set off towards it. Halfway up the small hill he bent to a crouch and then fell to his belly, he crawled the last few metres to the top of the hill on his elbows. At the top he paused, staring down the hill at the campus around the bottom of the tower, his body pressed against the ground, his head only just high enough to give him a clear view, if they had decent biosensors they obviously weren't watching them very well, or he'd have been spotted. If the people here were anything like those on the Behemoth they probably thought they were invincible. Falco watched the tower for a while, with Avion eyes he had no need for such trivialities as binoculars, after a time he spotted a door. At least he had a door decoder, along with weapons that was one of the things they had in their essential combat kits in the Arwings. Falco continued to watch, he'd almost come to the conclusion that there were no guards on the ground when he spotted someone, waltzing round the base of the tower looking thoroughly uninterested. At first he thought it was a SharpClaw, then with a shudder he realised it was of the same species as Slytir and Mitoc, the smarter version of a SharpClaw, and much more dangerous. The Cancent Falco suddenly remembered, that was what their race was called, what Leon had called himself, what Mitoc had been. Falco chose that moment to wonder if the two species were related, SharpClaw and Cacent. He watched the guard make his slow patrol round the base of the tower, trying to decide whether to kill him on the way in, or the way out. He decided to let it live for now and watched it turn its back on him as it continued its slow, half-hearted patrol. Once he'd gone Falco got up and sprinted for the door. He reached it unchallenged, and using Slippy's door decoder, let himself in.

Carefully he walked inside. There didn't seem to be anyone about, Falco couldn't even see any security cameras. This was too easy, he must be missing something, he'd have thought Andross' master weapon would have been better guarded. But he supposed they wouldn't expect attack of this kind in such a remote place, most lone operatives would have more sense than to try attacking such a place unaided. It would have been geared up to repel an attack from the CloudRunner, the only species on the planet really capable of attacking such a place. They hadn't been betting on him showing up. Falco looked along the corridor. It was made entirely from metal and lit from above and by thin slits in the wall by a strange red light, it wasn't dark but it wasn't light either, the worst kind of light for trying to see in. Maybe it worked for the lizard people. Falco chose a direction, right, he thought he could hear and sense signs of life along that way, being careful to remember the way back he set off.

He tried to walk softly but still his boots seemed to make a huge amount of noise against the metal floors. At a junction in the corridors Falco paused to listen, he was sure he heard voices from one direction so he followed the sound. He stalked down the corridor, listening, a gun in both hands, he wasn't about to be lenient, he had no intention of leaving anyone alive. The sounds of voices speaking grew louder, Falco walked softer. Ahead he could see white light, his eyes drank it in, tired of the soporific red light. Cautiously he walked up to the end of the corridor. It brought him out into the back of a room where a Cancent and a Canite sat at computer tables, tapping away at what they were doing, entirely involved. Falco put his guns away, he didn't want an alarm raised until absolutely necessary. Instead he took a piece of narrow wire with two small wooden handles on each end out of his pocket. They called it the "Cheese Cutter", that had been Slippy's idea. With that he took out a his combat knife, black bladed so it wouldn't catch the glimmer of a distant light. Silently he crept up behind them. This had been one of the moves he'd been good at, lacking the physical strength for the others his light build had afforded him the stealth to do it, the actual act required very little physical strength at all, if you had a good wire, a child could do it, Falco knew. Carefully Falco crept up behind the Cancent and slipped the noose over his head, he looked up alarmed as Falco pulled the two ends of the wire across themselves, the knife in his right hand.

"Ah-" The cry was cut off and faded only to a gurgle of blood as it ran into the severed windpipe from the arteries and veins suffering the same fate. The Canite sat beside the Cancent looked up, only to receive Falco's knife in his vulnerable throat. Falco allowed the body of the Cancent to slouch backwards in the chair, fearful all the blood might damage the computers before he had a chance to find out what they did.

He peered down at the computer display the Cancent had been looking at. What he saw filled him with white hot rage, then induced a flashback- Silver laid half naked on the floor before him. Those men just treated girls like objects, for their amusement. Falco smashed his hand down on the Cacent's head, if he hadn't already been dead Falco would have killed him all over again. Furiously he moved to what the Canite had been looking at, he at least had been doing his job, rather than indulging his perverse fantasies. The screen showed a display of the tower's systems, lighting, sprinklers, air conditioning and most importantly of all a complete map. Falco drew it up and gazed at it.

The tower was made up of a total of 12 levels with the control computers for the EMP on the 10th, he had to make sure he destroyed those or the whole mission would be a waste of time. As he stared at the design he realised it was going to be a bigger job then he'd thought, five grenades were not going to be nearly enough to put all the systems that needed to be beyond repair. He was going to have to ask Slippy for a _little_ favour. He looked down at the readout, he'd have to knock out comms, or the whole secret would be out. It didn't have much in the way of defences, a small network consisting of only 5 turbo lasers was controlled from a substation on the 4th floor. Two grenades. The comm. station was on the 8th floor, from the diagnostic it looked as though all the external communications went through there. Falco was suddenly glad he'd paid attention in electronics, 1 grenade, destroy that and the best they'd be able to do was shout for help from the roof. Then there was only the EMP to worry about, three grenades would probably do it... Falco groaned, wishing he'd thought to get the high yield explosives before he'd entered the tower, an Arwing attack wouldn't penetrate the thick armour. What was he going to do once he'd blown the EMP? He guessed kill as many as possible on the way in and out and hope there weren't enough left to organise a hunting party to come and kill him, Falco frowned, remembering the woods... he could hide in there... He'd have to run like hell... but maybe, just maybe he could pull it off. He laughed to himself. He didn't have many options. He rolled his eyes _"Oh well what the hell what's one more stupid mission to add to the list? Peppy's not here to tell me how dumb it is this time." _He laughed _"It can't possibly be worse than the Destrop incident... I was deaf for a week". _

Sighing Falco took another look at the map, there was a central lift shaft running through the middle of the tower, he guessed he might be able to risk that, it would certainly give him the element of surprise, and he didn't much fancy the idea of running up and down twelve flights of stairs. He studied the map a little longer, trying to get his mind to memorise the intricacies of the twists and turns in the corridors, but the longer he looked the less his mind wanted to concentrate, it grew swirly and sleepy and all he seemed to be able to remember was the layout of the Behemoth's corridors and the sound of his pounding feet and screams as he ran through them. He shook his head and looked around the room, the doors to the lift were on his right. He paused, allowing his mind to assimilate the information and work out a plan, it was almost second nature now, after so many years.

The lift droned quietly up the tower. Falco looked down on the body of an unfortunate Vulgarian that had been in the lift when he'd entered, he couldn't help being reminded of Blaze. At the forth floor the lift stopped, Falco pressed himself against the wall of the lift.

"Cayle, you got the coffee- huh?" A voice, the scraping of a chair against a metal floor, then footsteps.

"Fu-" the voice began. Falco sprung out from his hiding place, hitting the Cancent square in the chest, his eyes found the room's other occupants and told his hands where to aim. Killing seemed to be as though in a dream of late, Falco was just suddenly aware there was no-one left alive in the room. He paused, after checking the remaining shots in his gun he stooped down to drag the Vulgarian out of the lift.

He looked around. He recognised the targeting computers that controlled the laser cannon network; they were similar to those that crowded Great Fox's innards, the ones Slippy always complained about having to maintain. They were beasts to repair apparently. The room contained the main brains where targeting vectors and ship ids were calculated and applied in mere seconds. From here the power source for them could be accessed. Falco walked into the tiny room, between the rows of computers clicking away from floor to ceiling. The static made all his feathers stood on end, and snapped at him when he took a grenade from his pack. For a moment he feared he may have set off the timer, but as nothing blew up he guessed he was safe. Carefully he stowed the grenades in inconspicuous corners, sure to cause the maximum amount of damage. Falco had always gained a kind of perverse pleasure from blowing things up. That done he left the room and got back into the lift.

The 8th floor seemed to be empty. He was grateful. He tried to walk casually thought the corridors, there was a small chance he could be mistaken for a particularly untidy guard, he had to remind himself he wasn't eight anymore, and move as such. He found the door to the communications uplink, it was locked with a security code. Falco again slipped his door decoder out of his pocket and casually let himself in.

The room was dark, and empty. For which Falco was relieved. The comms. weren't being used so were simply idling. Falco paused as he set up the grenade inside an access panel. He looked down at the wiring inside, one of his lessons with Salty working on basic cloak repairs suddenly sprang to mind. He fingered through the strands of cabling, finally he found what he was looking for. Falco cut through a cable covered in an attractive shade of vomit yellow. The comms. wouldn't work now if he was caught, and it would take a while for them to figure out how to fix them, by then the backup timer on the grenades would have run out and it wouldn't matter anymore.

The lift droned up the tower again. The EMP control area was far more open plan than he's have liked, it covered the whole of the top floor. Worst of all he was running out of ammo. The guards he's killed had been unarmed or carrying too little to be of any real use, nevertheless he had two guns, his own in his right hand and a smaller one he'd recovered, and both were running low. The lift shuddered to a halt on the top floor. Falco took a deep breath.

The lift doors opened both in front and behind him. Startled Falco pressed his thin body against the wall, hoping the edges of the door would conceal him. He was now standing open in the middle of what could rapidly turn into a fire fight.

"Hey Jayne, we got a ghost in the lift again"

Falco considered taking the lift back down again and rethinking his plan, but he was rapidly out of time. A Cancent face appeared round the doorway.

"Who are you?!"

Falco squeezed the trigger. The Cancent staggered for a moment, then fell against the door. He was out of options. Falco darted forward out of the lift, firing the guns at everyone he could see, looking for better cover than the lift afforded him. The best he could find was a computer panel which left him entirely open down one side. Falco hid himself up against it as fire rained towards him. He was sure that at any moment one blaster bolt would break through and find his head. He looked right. The lift in the centre of the room left a corridor across the whole floor open down his side. A Cancent was about to shoot him from there. Falco darted out the way only just in time. He found himself back in the lift, laid on his back. There was a Cancent inside, standing over him, staring down, pointing his gun right between his eyes. He didn't fire, for a fraction of a second they stared at one another, Falco saw something flicker in his eyes; it was almost like... recognition, finding an unexpected acquaintance in an even more unexpected place. Then his head exploded and he fell back as Falco's fingers moved unbidden. He moved to the side as though in a dream, the world seeming to move in slow motion. Seconds later a blaster bolt landed where Falco had been laid. He pushed himself up against the lift wall, searching for the button that would take it down again. Somewhere someone raised an alarm. A great honking siren blazed out along with a verbal warning:

"Intruder Alert"

The lift was hardly cover enough he was still open to their attacks, and now with the alarm its power had been shut down. The end was coming. At that moment his mind began issuing telepathic distress signals...

Friad nearly fell out of the sky. His heart was filled with panic and a sensation of helplessness. The war seemed certain to claim another victim. Peppy on Great Fox had the sensation that an elephant had just trampled over his grave, and was suddenly certain he was missing something important. Krystal realised there were other people on Dinosaur Planet in more immediate danger than herself. Fox felt a particularly icy wind climb up his spine and fill his head with the sounds of gunfire and a familiar voice. Slippy watching Falco's bio-readings hovered his hand over the alert and prepared to call in the cavalry.

It was all or nothing now. Falco took a grenade set it to timed charge and threw it out of the lift. He heard it hit the ground and roll. Then he pressed his hands over his ears and pushed himself out of the way as far as possible. The grenade exploded. Screams of surprise were cut drastically short. One side was clear but he still had lots to worry about. Through the smoke Falco emerged into the blown out area. Time was rapidly running out. He had to get out of the base fast. Most of the computers in the room had been damaged. With little other choice he threw the remaining grenades down the other end of the room, found the door marked for the stairs and ploughed down them. Behind him the room roared, Falco heard shrapnel coming down the stairs behind him. Below he could see guards coming up to meet him. At that moment more than any other in his life Falco wished he could fly. Shots flew towards him and grazed the walls dangerously close. He was trapped. He considered surrendering. No! He'd rather die, anything was better than surrender.

"_Stand tall, be strong and never give up!"_

Falco held the guns close to his chest. Pulled the remote for the grenades out of his pocket and ran. To hell with it. He barrelled down the stairs; the guards were perhaps surprised by his pure stupidity. As he ran he fired indiscriminately, waving the remote around screaming at them with every piece of verbal and telepathic abuse he could think of. As he ran first one gun then the other clicked and whined as they ran out of ammunition. As he approached he squeezed the remote...

Falco would look back on that day and wonder why he survived. He guessed that the combination of the grenades, his telepathy and pure stupidity threw the guards off enough for him to save his wretched hide. Only as he jumped from the third story did he realise he'd managed to push one over the edge of the stairs. Once at the bottom he quickly found his way to the exit and back out into the damp air of the mountains.

He ran. As fast as his legs would carry him. Not daring to look back. The forest's dark overhanging canopy looked amazingly inviting. It was especially dark now as the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon. Falco raced into it. The branches tore at him with ominously loud snapping sounds. As he ran he was aware he had to get a hold of himself. In the middle of a large thicket he paused, his chest heaving painfully, his whole body quivering. He could hear the Cancents' heavy bodies pushing through the trees, disturbing them, pushing them aside; making them groan. Speed wasn't going to get him anywhere now, a little haste was better... silently he moved off, seeking the deeper shelter of the trees, doing his best not to leave a path that could be easily followed...

Falco slipped quietly between the branches. He needed somewhere to hide. Along with his door decoder he had a bio signature scrambler; he switched that on now cursing himself for not doing it sooner. Now the only person who would be able to see him would be Slippy on Great Fox, and he wouldn't give him away. Mildly Falco wished he was in a city. There were lots of places there you could go to disappear, provided you didn't mind the occasional bad smell, they were places you could run to where most wouldn't dare to follow. He moved on, almost blind in the dark. Behind he could hear the guards stomping about. Then he lucked upon something he could only have imagined. To his left there grew a large tree, at its base a hole where the roots had worked away from the soil. Falco stared down at it, unable to believe his luck. He got to his hands and knees. Hurriedly he brushed aside a pile of leaves half obscuring the hole. Quickly he peered inside. It was large enough. Falco could barely contain his delight. He scurried inside and piled up the leaves at the entrance again as best he could. He was only just in time. The sound off footsteps hastily put an end to his activities. He curled himself up inside the tree and made himself as silent and motionless as possible. All he could hear was his own heartbeat, the footsteps drawing closer and somewhere water dripping off leaves.

The earth seemed to shake as the hefty guard drew closer. It walked up to Falco's tree, so near Falco could see him as he blocked off the shaft of light coming in the hole at the entrance. The Cancent paused. Falco held every muscle in his body tense. If he was found he would be helpless. He didn't have a single shot left in either of his guns.

The Cancent stood near the entrance, shifting its weight from foot to foot. It sniffed the air. It was only at that moment Falco realised he was bleeding. The Cancent continued to sniff the air, then after what seemed like an age moved away. Only after its footsteps had stomped off into the distance did Falco relax a little, though not much. Carefully he shuffled himself into a more comfortable position and steeled himself for a long wait.

He'd used this means of hiding before. Fox and Falco had spent an uncomfortable night huddled in the bottom of a wayward tree hiding from a snowstorm. They'd come to be there after they'd crashed their two-seat bomber and had had no choice but to try and hide from the storm. The warmth from their two bodies had undoubtedly saved them that night, even though neither got much sleep. Falco would have found it quite comfortable had there not been a cold trickle of a stream running along his back. Fox having acquired by far the most comfortable spot would have been happy had he not managed to pull his shoulder out of joint in the crash. Despite Falco having replaced it for him he had had been in significant pain.

He had been dozing, dreaming about being huddled in that tree with Fox when the sound of footsteps startled him. Falco stopped breathing. He strained his ears to listen. Though this time the Cancent guard just stomped past him and his footsteps disappeared again. Falco started to drift...

It was dark when he scurried out of the hole beneath the tree. It would have been a pleasant place to spend the night aside from the sodden ground. Besides, Falco needed help from a certain green someone and that could only come on the open ground. He moved off through the trees, cautiously, hoping there would be no more guards around. Somewhere above an owl hooted, Falco's heart was eased a little. He hoped it signified that calm had returned to the forest.

He was glad to get back out into the starlight. After a while the creeping darkness among the trees had become oppressive. Falco raised his aching arm up to his beak to activate his communicator. As he punched in a line to contact Slippy, he hoped it would be him who answered, but he couldn't wait any longer. Then he saw something move. Slippy answered the comm..

"How you doing Falco?" Slippy asked. The end of the line was dead. "Falco?"

"Sorry... I got distracted" Falco continued to watch the hillock for movement.

"I hate this Falco, all this sneaking around. If you were willing to tell Fox and Peppy you're here it would make life a whole lot easier"

"We've already been over this Slip'" Falco said tersely, relaxing his gaze

"I know, but I hate it... "

"Not as much as I do Slippy" Falco sighed heavily. Slippy found himself unable to ignore the weariness in his voice.

"Are you alright, you scared me shitless a minute ago... I was sure those guards were going to find you! One was standing right next to you!"

"I know... I'm ok... a bit stiff that's all, and I owe a tree a really big favour."

"A tree?"

"Yeah... they expect the birdie to be hiding in the branches... but not under it"

"Ah, yeah, that little trick again..."

"Slippy will you do me a favour, no questions asked?"

"err... I'm not sure Falco, it depends what it is"

"Will you drop me some supplies"

There was a pause. Falco listened to the quiet on the end of the comm. in the background he could just here the faint sounds of Great Fox's bridge.

"Alright Falco, what do you want?"

"You ready, I've got a list"

"Yes, go ahead Falc'"

"Right... I want some explosives... DH4s about 4kg in 500g charges-"

"Falco are you sure, that's enough to blow a small hole in that planet!"

"I know, that's the idea... Some new blaster armour... as much ammo as you can lay your hands on without anyone getting suspicious... a proximity alarm, a rations pack, a med-kit-"

"A med-kit? Falco are you ok?"

Falco didn't answer. He looked down at himself.

"Maybe you should make it 2 med-kits" Falco said without thinking.

"Falco if you're injured I'll bring the two-seat, I'll pick you up and take you back to the ship. We'll get you treated in the infirmary."

Falco found the idea tempting, a warm bed, even just for one night. Familiar faces around him... It would be great... to go home.

"Peppy will see me..." Falco started to say.

"I'll shoot him!! Please Falco, I'm really worried about you. We're _all_ worried about you"

His words made Falco smile. When Slippy spoke again his voice was quieter.

"Peppy's going mad worrying about you... It's frightening me. Why won't you come back?... Do you hate us?"

"Nothing could be further from the truth Slip'" Falco said gently

"Then why won't you let us help you? Whatever you're doing down there you shouldn't have to do it alone! Please come back to the ship. I meant what I said if you're that desperate for Peppy not to see you. I'll stun him, he'll be out for long enough then... please, I told him you'd be ok... don't make me a liar Falco" He sounded on the verge of tears.

"No... Slippy I can't"

If Slippy saw him like this he would never let him return to the surface. Then Venom would be allowed to get away with what it was doing and Krystal would be lost.

"Slippy two more things, a jumper and a blanket... its cold up here"

"Oh alright..." he said reluctantly "I've got a lock on your position. Do you want me to drop it to where you are now?"

"Yeah, as close as possible, I don't really feel up for a long walk. Don't worry about the tower Slip' its go no scanners or communications... at least not anymore"

"Take it that was your effort?"

"Yeah" Falco sighed "Slip, no tricks. No landing and trying to force me into anything ok. I've only got live blasters down here and I've been a bit trigger-happy the last few days" Falco heard Slippy laugh down the comm. he flinched "I'm serious" Slippy's laughter cut off suddenly.

"Err... Ok Falco... please take care of yourself"

"Always... Slippy, make it quick ok?"

"Alright, I'm on my way Falcs"

Slippy waited for Falco to cut out the comm. He turned from the control panel thoughtfully.

"Now how am I going to do this with out Peppy getting suspicious?" he asked himself looking thoughtfully around the bridge. "Locate Peppy Hare" he said to the computer.

"Peppy Hare is in common room 1" The computer responded.

"Alert me if he moves from there"

"Affirmative"

Slippy left the bridge slowly. As he walked towards the crew quarters he noticed how lonely it was with just him and Peppy onboard. The ship had been quiet for the last little while, devoid of Fox and Falco's constant squabbling. Then when Fox left for Dinosaur Planet an eerie silence seemed to descend over the ship. Had Falco been with them when this mission had been called he would probably have accompanied Fox, even if they split the mission objectives and went their separate ways... not too different to how things were now... but Slippy had to tell himself they didn't hate each other that much... The door to Falco's room slid quietly open, Slippy wandered inside. Falco's room had always been tidier than his, but now it looked too tidy. It didn't feel lived in anymore. Sighing Slippy rummaged in Falco's cupboard until he found a jumper that Peppy wouldn't miss. Along with that he took a blanket from the top shelf above Falco's clothes.

"Damn it Falco why do you have to be so much taller than me?" Slippy said standing on tiptoes to reach. Eventually he pulled a blanket down. It fell over his head. After fighting with it for a moment he was ready. As he walked back out the door it occurred to him that it would be pretty hard to explain if Peppy caught him now. Thoughtfully he carried on. Armoury now. He could get the rest of the stuff there.

Slippy put the stuff down on the armoury table. He hunted through the racks for the things he wanted. He managed to take 5 standard blaster clips without the shelf looking obviously bare. Then he fed his access code and biochip reading into the locked cabinet where they kept the high yield explosives, among other things. This particular locker was death in a box. Enough explosives to blow a small moon apart, various varieties of poison, from the quick and painless to the slow and not so painless, to the untraceable. They didn't do assassinations very often, but they had their ways. There were a few other things in there Slippy didn't like to think about, some of their contingency plans, should the worst happen, the sort of things that gave him nightmares. Meticulously he locked the cabinet again. He put the explosives carefully on the table, along with the remote firing device. He looked around the room again, to the shelf where they kept the rations packs, all the Arwings carried them, just in case they went down and couldn't get picked up again for a while. As it happened the longest time anyone had had to wait was three days, on a planet with a dangerous atmosphere the air supply wouldn't have lasted that long... but it was best not to think about that kind of thing. Slippy pulled down a pack and checked briefly that it was full, then put it with the growing pile of equipment. Then he found a proximity alert, Falco must be expecting company... Finally he pulled down 2 med-kits. It was obvious they were gone. He'd just have to hope no-one noticed. That would make for even more awkward questions than the missing explosives. Finally he dumped some Falco sized blaster armour on the table. Then he stepped back and surveyed his loot. It was more than he could carry in one go, but fortunately it wasn't far.

Slippy bundled some of the stuff up in Falco's blanket and carried it over his shoulder like a sack. Quietly he walked to the docking bay and hunted out one of the boxes they used for supply drops. It was almost half as big as him. Carefully he wrapped the explosives in the blanket and laid them on the bottom of the crate. Then he covered the fragile remote in Falco's jumper. He put the blaster armour between the two to make sure they couldn't come together accidentally, if they did it would make one hell of a mess. There were enough explosives in that box to blow Great Fox into several pieces.

"I hope you know what you're doing Falco" Slippy mumbled to himself as he went back for the rest of the stuff. "I suppose I'll just have to have faith in you..."

Falco had used bombs like this plenty of times before, but never without backup and cover fire. This time he was on his own, and that was what worried him. Falco had done some stupid things in his time...

He gazed around the armoury thoughtfully, wondering if there was anything else he could find that would ease Falco's time on the planet. All he came up with was a torch, a thermo flask filed with hot chocolate and a few packets of sweets he'd had hidden in his room. At length he put the rest of the stuff into the crate and sealed the lid.

"Now here's the hard part. How do I get down to that planet without Peppy realising what we're up to... Falco you stubborn git why do you have to make things so difficult?..." Slippy asked himself as he loaded the box into the compartment for the air drops. He climbed into the cabin. The Arwing's engine roared into life and Slippy pulled up off the deck. As he boosted towards the bay doors he wracked his brains for the best excuse to give Peppy. As he pulled away from the ship the inevitable voice came over the radio.

"Slippy where're you going?" Peppy asked, Slippy couldn't ignore the slight hint of uneasiness in his voice.

"I picked up some unusual readings down on the planet, I'm going to try and get a closer look"

"Do you want some company?"

"No, there's less chance I'll be picked up on scanners if I go alone"

"Alright Slippy, take care..."

Peppy cut the comm. Slippy dove in on Falco's position, the mountains were high, the top peaks had snow on them, it had been an understatement for Falco to call it "cold", the Arwing registered the ground temperature as only just above freezing. Slippy wished he'd brought Falco something more substantial than a blanket. He homed in on Falco's bio-signature. The closer he got the more he realised Falco had definitely been better, it was hard to say exactly what was wrong with him, but his life signs were erratic to say the least, in any other situation he would probably be in a hospital. Slippy drew closer. He stared at the massive black bulk of the tower, then a little way away he noticed a flickering orange glow.

Falco looked up from his thoughts, gazing at the fire. He could hear engine noise, then as he scanned the sky he spotted the pinprick of light of Slippy's engine against the stars. He stood up, watching him draw closer. Falco judged that his right arm hurt slightly less and raised it to wave at him. In the cockpit light he just caught sight of Slippy's hand moving in response.

Slippy dropped his speed to as low as he could. Falco's bio-signature wasn't just erratic, it was all over the place. Slippy didn't know much about medicine, but he knew enough to realise things weren't good. He looked around for somewhere to land, he had to persuade him to come home. The terrain offered no-where safe. Slippy swore at himself as he turned round to pass over Falco again. Why wasn't he able to persuade him? Fox or Peppy would be able to do it, they could even order him back, Slippy was outranked by everyone. He sighed, he had a feeling Falco wouldn't be playing by the rules. As he passed over him again he pushed the switch to drop the supplies

"Thanks Slip. I owe you one... This dinosaur food is gross. Yuck!"

"Yeah Fox said that too..." Slippy shook himself "Falco are you alright... you're bio-signature's off the scale"

Slippy heard him sigh.

"I think I'll live..." Death seemed to have been alluding him the last little while.

Slippy looked down at the readings, and tried to ignore the lump in his throat and twisting in his gut. If he died down there he would never forgive himself.

"Falco are you sure you wont come back to the ship?"

"Stop it Slippy!! I can't, so stop asking!" Falco said helplessly, Slippy noticed his life signs fluctuate, his stress levels climb and decided it was probably best to let things drop.

"Alright Falco... watch yourself ok"

"yeah... Slippy, look after Fox and Peppy for me... please... if I don't talk to you again..." Slippy heard his voice shake. He was suddenly very afraid.

"You haven't got something stupid in mind have you Falc'?!"

"You know me"

"That's what I'm afraid of!"

"Take care of them Slippy... Hey there'll be fireworks tomorrow at dawn... since I missed your birthday... how was that anyway?"

"Quiet"

"Sorry I missed it"

Slippy fought back sadness and anger.

"I have to go back now Falco, Peppy will be wondering where I am..."

"Alright Slippy, t-take care..."

Morosely Falco watched him go, and couldn't stop himself wishing he wasn't. The box of supplies had come to rest a little down the hill from where he sat. He hauled his aching body up and walked over to it. He managed to drag the heavy box up the hill to where he had made his fire. With mild curiosity he set about opening it and collecting the supplies. He opened the lid and peered inside.

"A torch? Good thinking Slip'" Falco mumbled to himself and laid it on the grass, Then he pulled out the blaster armour. The packets of sweets fell out with it, thoughtfully Falco bent to pick them up. When he realised what they were he couldn't help but smile, Slippy had always had a sweet tooth. He pulled out the other things, and divided then into what he would need in the morning and everything else. He set up the proximity alert to circle his camp, if anything bigger than a rabbit came near him he would know about it. He put a med-kit out on the side and dressed his new wounds. He had been shot sometime in the process, but thankfully it wasn't deep. Only one he was finished did he remember the thermo-flask. Sitting down by the fire he opened it and sniffed it, it smelt suspiciously like hot chocolate.

"Mmmmmm" Falco heard himself say, it beat cold river water any day. "Thanks again Slip'"

He found it deeply ironic that he was forced to huddle against the fire. He owned an intergalactic space fighter, was a member of one of the most famous mercenary teams in the Federation and yet the best he could do for warmth was a tiny campfire. He had to laugh. He was sitting here shivering in the cold, up to his beak on painkillers, contemplating blowing a Venom base to the other side of the Federation and there wasn't event the promise of a pay packet at the end of it. There wasn't even the promise of a warm bed, only a life lived underground, if he wanted to keep up the pretence of having died on the Behemoth, Pepper would tell Peppy the truth, or some semblance of it someday. Falco didn't look forward to the life that would keep him hidden, but it was the only one that seemed open to him, and other than Star Fox, all he knew. He couldn't go back, they would blame him for what had happened, force him to go back to the Behemoth. If he tried to return to the team Fox would never have him back. They would never believe him, and he wasn't willing to put them through the pain going back would involve. He couldn't go back, no matter how much he wanted to. Still shivering and miserable Falco curled under the blankets, and although the cold made sleep dangerous and he knew it he drifted away.

Peppy dreamt of fire. A fire he could never make big enough, he knew he had to make the fire bigger to stop the cold. However long he worked the fire was never big enough, never warm enough, but he wasn't cold. The fire kept going out, no matter how much wood he put on it, it didn't seem to make any difference. It was still cold.

Falco stirred. Something that didn't seem quite right swam into focus, there were a pair of feet sat near the fire, a stick poked thoughtfully at the flames. Falco lifted his head to look up and see who the feet belonged to. A familiar figure sat on a log huddled near the fire against the cold. Peppy smiled sadly down at him.

Falco leapt awake. He sat up and looked to the place where Peppy had been sitting, there was no log by the fire... and, no Peppy. Falco lay back down on the cold earth, exhaustion washing over him, despair surpassing the hope that had welled up in him just moments before. For a while he considered calling Slippy and asking him to come and get him. His hand was halfway to his beak before he changed his mind. If he went home he would be as good as killing Krystal. He couldn't do that, she deserved to live... unlike him. Falco stared up at the sky. He could see one edge of the streaky clouds faintly outlined in pink, the dark sky was slowly being lit up from the east, or at least, what he presumed to be east. As he watched the purple sky turned to a paler shade and all but the brightest stars went out. It was dawn, the few hours sleep Falco had managed to snatch didn't feel like nearly enough, his body felt heavy and sore, and most prominently cold, it was as though his limbs were frozen solid. Falco sighed and tried to slowly rub some life into his arms. Mornings had always been the worst, that brief moment before the mind came fully awake where Falco could imagine it had all just been a horrible nightmare, then he would realise that it wasn't, and usually, the day went downhill from there. He sat up and considered investigating the rations pack Slippy had dropped him, but decided breakfast could wait. The sooner he blew the tower the sooner he could go back to CloudRunner fortress, at least it was warm. For a moment Falco pulled the blanket around him again, it smelt of Great Fox... of home. Sighing he swung it over his shoulders, so that it hung there. Wishing he wasn't so thin he stood up, maybe that way he wouldn't feel so cold. He paused for a moment before setting about packing up the things Slippy had dropped him. He realised he was never going to be able to take it all back with him. He doubted he would have enough time to come back and collect it after going into the tower for a second time; he'd have to carry it all. Groaning he packed up his bag, he put the med-kits in the bottom then the rations kit. Finally he stowed the explosives on top. If anyone shot him in the back they'd all have a nasty surprise. Falco pulled the blaster armour on over his head; even though it was thin it made his body feel even heavier. He clipped the spare magazines around his waste. Stamping out the fire Falco surveyed his camp. Everything else he could stand to lose, even if the team bank balance wouldn't appreciate it very much. Falco let the blanket drop of his shoulders as he swung the bag onto his back. Quietly he moved off towards the forest.

Falco shuddered in the damp darkness. The dewy wetness of the leaves clung to his face, the twigs of the trees pulled at his clothes, trying to trip him. The forest was lighter now than when he'd hidden in it before, the first golden beams of light picking through the leafy canopy. Nevertheless Falco moved through it as quickly as possible, his mind was on edge as he drew closer to the tower, at every move he expected a SharpClaw to jump out of the undergrowth at him. When he eventually reached the other side of the group of trees he was grateful, even if it did leave him in full view of the tower.

Cautiously he looked about. There were no scout parties around, obviously they had given up on him, or decided they would be better inside the tower, trying to clean up the mess he'd made. Falco smiled, they'd all be scared of the beating they'd get when their bosses found out their master weapon was inoperable. At least then the pressure would be taken off Fox, hopefully when he got back the final SpellStone their anger would be focused elsewhere, thus saving his furry hide.

Two guards were patrolling now. They must have stepped up their security a bit. Falco chuckled to himself. They'd need more than that to stop him. Even with two guards there was still a lot of time for him to slip in unnoticed, Falco waited for one guard to pass and move out of sight before sprinting to the base. He reckoned he had about three minutes before the next guard would come round the corner and be able to see him. Security had definitely been increased. Slippy's door decoder clicked away for what seemed like an age, breaking through layers and layers of encryption. Falco looked nervously about. The guard would be back soon, he was running out of time. Uneasily he began mumbling to the decoder, willing it to go faster. Finally there was an optimistic click and the door popped open. Falco rushed inside and pushed it closed again as quickly as he dared.

Panting he pressed himself against the wall, listening. He could sense more than hear the presence of guards on the bottom floor. They were far more numerous than they had been the day before. Carefully Falco skulked off, seeking somewhere inconspicuous to plant his bombs. He didn't care much about it being a pretty explosion, as long as it brought the tower down. He hoped if he managed to get a few charges set up on the ground floor and maybe one or two higher up it would be enough to destroy it. He had no intention of venturing into the heights again.

Falco found a convenient room. It turned out to be little more than a store room, containing a mixture of unpleasant cleaning chemicals. He grinned, that concoction should ensure a nice explosive mess at the very least. He listened at the door before stepping out again. He was glad he did, he heard footsteps walk past and the muffled sound of voices. He signed, leaning against the door till they passed, thanking Peppy for making him over-cautious, on the ground if not in the sky. He smiled to himself as he emerged. The stunt yesterday had been anything but cautious. Carefully he walked down the corridors that were becoming far too familiar again.

The next room he found was a toilet. It stank, obviously the cleaner hadn't been working as hard as the chemicals might suggest. Then a mean little voice in the back of Falco's mind casually asked if he might have killed the cleaner. He shook his head as he wired up the bomb. In a few minutes there wouldn't be anywhere left to clean.

A Vulgarian and Canite caught him off guard as he set up his third bomb. They snuck up on him and jumped him. They terrified him out of his wits, consequentially Falco became a screaming, squirming angry ball of feathers. It was only after he'd killed them both that his mind returned to his body. He couldn't quite believe it. As Falco stared at their bodies he was sure one of them had stabbed themselves, surely no, it must have happened in the confusion of the fight. Wishing to see no more of that grisly scene Falco moved away.

The rest of the mission went without a hitch, better than Falco could ever have hoped for. It was almost as though an invisible force were drawing the guards away from him, watching over him. Maybe he had a guardian angel, he liked to think it might be his grandfather. Finally the lasts of the bombs were set. Falco reached out with his mind.

"_Friad, I need a lift" _

"_I'm already on my way child, my landing should correspond with your leaving the base of the tower. I will land just beyond the door you entered by. Do not worry about the guard. I will deal with him" _

"_huh?" _Falco was amazed

"_Did you think I'd let you go without a few younglings to watch over you? Besides, I have been monitoring your progress through your own mind. Be careful you have company" _

The message cut off.

Falco turned round to see a guard creeping up on him. He only narrowly jumped out of the way before he could strike him with a metal bar. Falco suddenly found he had far less of a problem killing this one than any who had tried to shoot him. Falco landed on his back, drew his gun and hit him squarely in the middle of the head. Then he noticed the woman, she had been behind the man he'd just killed, a Canite with chocolaty brown fur stared at him. Falco laid on his back stared up at her. The gun in his hands suddenly trembling. He couldn't work out whether she was armed or not.

"I... don't want to kill you" Falco stammered. Never let it get personal, he'd always been told that, but he couldn't help wondering if she had a family, and if they would miss her as much as he missed Peppy. The woman scowled at him. Falco didn't know what to do. He couldn't let her run, but he didn't want to kill her either. Then he noticed her hand moving towards something black at her hip. Falco squeezed the trigger. She fell on top of her male companion her gun in her hand. As Falco held onto the computer panel to pull himself up he decided he didn't care. She wouldn't have worried about killing him. The fact that Silver had been a girl hadn't saved her. No-one would have worried about killing Peppy, even though three children had once and still did rely him. Man or woman, it didn't matter. It was still a life. They were still the enemy. Falco turned and headed for the stairs, he only had to go down a few levels, and the lift was likely to be infested with guards. Grimly he hoped they wouldn't cut him off. He raced down the spiral staircases, his feet making a metallic clank on the steps. Just as he reached the bottom he heard a few guards running after him from the floor above. Praying Friad would be waiting for him he ran for the way out.

Falco raced out of the tower, pursued by a few guards, the remote in his hand. Friad stood a little beyond the exit glaring past him at his pursuers. As he ran Falco dared to look for the guard. He spotted him, laid dead on the ground, it looked as though he'd shot himself, but no, surely... Friad didn't look at him as he ran closer.

"_Leave-him-alone" _Falco heard him say.

Hastily he ran up to Friad's side and swung onto his back. Only once there did he spot the guards. He watched with rising trepidation. They had both stopped stock still, and as he watched they raised their guns to their heads, and pulled the triggers. Friad leapt into the sky.

"_F-Friad?" _Falco questioned

"_We have our ways"_ was all he offered in explanation _"Be ready to fire your bombs Falco, we should be clear by now"_

Falco pushed down on the button in his hand. A gargantuan explosion punctured the air. Both Friad and Falco turned back to watch the tower explode. Shrapnel shot up into the air for hundreds of metres above, crowned by the massive dish, rising and falling through the air like some graceless whale.

"_You did it Falco!" _Friad said enthusiastically

"_yeah..." _Falco said less so _"one less problem to worry about... and a few more holes to add to my ragged hide" _

Falco stared at CloudRunner Fortress from Friad's back. Many of the ornate columns supporting the roof were broken down and it had fallen in entirely in some places.

"_F-Friad... what happened here?" _

"_While you were gone the Scales' main shock troops breached our defences... the lasts of our warriors held the fortress for as long as possible but were forced to yield. Your friend made a timely arrival with the queen... but perhaps he was a few moments too late... by the time he arrived most of the shock troops had gone, and the damage had been done. Fox cleared the palace of SharpClaw mostly, and helped return order, and those SharpClaw he missed we telepaths finished off in our own... special way" _

Falco looked down at the ruined palace.

"_I'm sorry I wasn't here to help more"_

"_You would have been killed. Your work on the prison cells saved Fox a fate similar to your own. Do not fear child, more stone can be cut, the fortress can be rebuilt"_

"_But how many lives were lost trying to defend it?"_

"_Some, but not as many as could have been. Most of the younglings and their mothers have fled to our safe place long ago. As long as they live our futures are preserved in their wombs"_

"_I suppose, but that is little comfort for the lost and their families"_

"_No its not" _Friad said as his feet touched the roof of the palace _"Ask you asked your things have been moved here. When you have had time to rest you must move on to stage 2. Seeking the Krazoa, but for now rest" _He spread his wings again and flew off. Falco looked after him then headed to the pile of blankets on the roof and curled up to catch up on missed sleep.

A CloudRunner baby chattered into his ear and the mist of sleep began to lift. He tried to cling to it for as long as possible but to no avail.

"Tuka tuka yah cococo tuka tuka tuka!" The CloudRunner baby said

"Oh go away" Falco groaned

"Tuka tuka yah yah co-co co-co!" the CloudRunner jumped lightly onto his chest seemingly delighted with getting a response.

"Ahhh get off!" The presence of the CloudRunner touching him from sleep brought back the nightmares.

"Keff keff suk suk!!!" The CloudRunner shouted in irritation as Falco sat up suddenly, angry at being dislodged from his chest. Falco stared around him taking a moment to remember where he was. When his senses returned he rubbed his face in his hands. He sat up and crossed his legs. The baby CloudRunner he noticed was perching not too far away making obstinate faces at him and chattering irritably. He laughed at it.

"You gave me a fright youngling"

"pitchy pitchy" The CloudRunner said in response.

"Pitchy pitchy to you too"

The baby CloudRunner stared at him silent for a moment. Then hopped closer. Falco was about to speak to it again when Friad alighted on the roof.

"Hello child"

Falco just smiled in greeting as he held his hand out for the baby to sniff at. Briefly Friad chuckled at him.

"Are you ready to seek the Krazoa?"

Falco nodded not looking up from the baby which seemed to be trying to decide if his fingers were edible. Friad sank to the ground in front of him. Falco looked up.

"I must teach you a few things first." The baby CloudRunner hopped into Falco's lap and settled itself for a long nap. "I will take you to SnowHorn Wastes. You must stand on the warp pad to enter the Krazoa shrine. Where you go I cannot follow. Once there you should proceed through to the place of the test where the Krazoa will be waiting for you. I believe this is the test of strength-"

"Strength! I dunno Friad that's not something I'm renowned for!"

"The tests are possible for everyone taking them, you need only try."

Falco nodded uneasily as he stroked the sleeping CloudRunner in his lap.

"The last test was that of fear, or courage... I do not relish the idea of you taking that. It took Fox several tries before he mastered himself"

"He has a lot to be afraid of, and one of his nightmares is about to get very real"

Friad nodded his long head in agreement "If you pass the test the Krazoa will enter your body, once you have the Krazoa I will take you to the palace to release it. Fox can make up his own ideas as to how it got there."

"He should just be grateful that it did."

Friad nodded "You must do this Falco, I would, but I cannot, I am too old and cynical" He smiled "This is down to you"

"Come on then lets get this over with" Falco said standing up, pausing only to deposit the still sleeping CloudRunner in his blankets.

The first thing that struck Falco about SnowHorn Wastes was the cold.

"_Its freezin' out here!" _

"_Why did you think they called it "SnowHorn Wastes"?"_

"_The SnowHorn live here don't they, the mammoth thingies"_

"_That's correct" _

"_Then that's why I thought they called it that!"_

A blizzard of snow blew into Falco's face, making it numb in seconds. He shivered and hung low against Friad's neck.

"_It appears we have chosen a bad day for our quest. It is hard to fly in these conditions, especially with a passenger" _

Falco said nothing, just clung tightly to the collar round Friad's neck as he battled through the storm, finally they descended into the lee of a cliff and the wind cut of suddenly, even so as Friad descended the cold still chilled Falco to his core. Friad landed, his scaly brown-yellow feet ploughing into the snow so that he slid and threatened to fall. Falco clung ever tightly to his back and tried to stay in balance with him.

"_Not the best landing, but any you can walk away from is a good one... that's what you pilots say isn't it?" _

Laughing Falco slid from his back _"Something like that yes"_

"_This is the place" _Friad directed his beak towards a barred entrance cut in the rock _"Open for a gatekeeper and sage" _Friad demanded, as Falco watched the gateway opened.

"_Cool, I wish I could do that" _

"_Finish your training and you will be able to. Now go forth child, stand on the warp pad. I will be here waiting for you to return. Try to be swift. It's cold" _

Grinning Falco entered the enclave in the cliff, glad to escape the cold. He looked around. The place was lit by a round raised platform in the centre, light from here reflected off the grey walls and the snow outside. Gingerly Falco steeped onto the platform which he assumed must be the warp pad. A blue light enveloped him.

"_Who dares try to enter the Krazoa Shrine?"_

Falco jumped, surprised by the booming voice in his head. Friad hadn't said anything about the Krazoa speaking to him, earnestly he responded.

"My name is Falco Lombardi I want to help your cause. I wish to collect Krazoa spirits and return them to their palace"

"_Only the pure of heart may enter our shrines, and you Falco Lombardi are _not_ pure of heart!" _

"Why not?"

"_You are coloured with much blood. Your heart is stained by the blood you have shed."_

"Why then is Fox pure of heart when I am not? He has shed as much blood as I, if not more!"

"_Fox McCloud _is_ pure of heart. He draws only the blood of the guilty, you do not. You steal the lives of the weak and defenceless, and take pleasure in killing them. You are black with the filth of your transgressions, Dark Hearted One, you are evil." _

Falco felt as though he had been kicked in the stomach. He heard himself scream in surprise as he flew backwards through the air.

Groaning with pain he found himself laid on the floor, a soft dusting of cold snow melting beneath him, Friad's concerned face hovering above.

"What happened?" he asked anxiously.

Falco managed to sit up a little "Only the pure of heart-" He gasped and was cut off by a stab of pain up his right side. He collapsed onto the floor again. Friad shook his head agitated.

"I was afraid of this... I should never have brought you here on this fools errand" He said almost to himself. Falco watched him bend until he sat on the floor next to him with his legs tucked under him, shielding him from the cold outside. "Falco you must promise you will listen to what I'm going to say to you now. It's more important than anything else I've ever told you"

Falco had lost his voice again so only managed to nod.

"The Krazoa read your emotions. They make their assumptions based on what you _feel. _Regardless of whether it is true or not. To them, a person can never lie to themselves with their emotions, so their feelings must portray the truth, they have no understanding behind events that transpire to bring forth those emotions. Falco they do not understand grief or pain, in the sense that we know it. They are not capable of physical sensation. They like to see the world more black and white than it actually is." Friad paused, he was rambling. "Being pure of heart is a state of mind, and _nothing_ more" He said firmly.

"They called me evil..." Falco managed to whimper.

"That is _not _true!" Friad said shortly "Don't you ever think it is."

"But-"

"No! Ignore what the Krazoa said. Their words are worth _nothing_! They have no skill to judge what is evil and what is not"

"But they looked inside me and found only darkness!"

"Rubbish! Falco they do not understand" he paused "being pure of heart is more about how you see yourself than anything the Krazoa can judge. Its about how you justify your actions to yourself. If you _believe_ you are good the Krazoa will think you are too, and unfortunately vice-a-versa." He paused, considering his words "it takes a lot of self-confidence and a little arrogance to be pure of heart, something Krystal has in plentiful supply"

"Fox too... and they used to call _me_ the arrogant one"

"See. It is not about whether you are good or evil, just about how you _feel_. If you ever were arrogant that's something the Behemoth took from you, and with it any shred of self-worth. You must not let what the Krazoa said destroy you." Friad's voice softened "And you must not believe that about yourself. If you do it _will_ destroy you. I have only known you a few days, but I know it is not true, and I will never be in any doubt." Friad sighed "I am not pure of heart either, for my own reasons, I have never asked the Krazoa to test me, for I know what their answer will be. The result is the same, regardless of why" He smiled hastily "Come now child. I will take you back to the fortress. You have injured yourself, you are right; you are a bird not meant to fly through the air!"

Friad moved so Falco could pull himself onto his back without having to stand up. Clutching at his ribs he managed to throw himself over Friad's back.

"Hold on" Friad said as he went to stand.

A few moments later they lifted into the sky to return to the fortress.

"I feel so useless" Falco sighed as he limped and Friad walked through the palace "Krystal's dying and there's nothing I can do to help her!"

Friad made a face "Well that's not entirely true..."

"What? What can I do, I don't know where the SpellStones are and Fox has nearly got them all now anyway-"

"This is no longer about speeding up the process. It's about buying Krystal time."

"How can I do that?"

"Telepathy is not all I can teach you, and it's certainly not the limit of your capabilities."

Falco made a confused face

"There is a method which hasn't been used since the ancient times. When I was young my teacher taught me the principle of how to do it. I won't lie to you Falco, I tried it and I couldn't make it work, and someone died who could have lived because of that."

"If you couldn't do it what makes you think that I can?"

"You may not be pure of heart Falco Lombardi, but you _are_ something different. Long ago the CloudRunner mind was much more developed than it is now. Our problem is we use our beaks too much and ignore our minds. Back then every CloudRunner was telepathic, now I have trouble finding enough worthy students to fill just my classes, every season the number grows smaller, and it was the best of the telepaths who were killed by this war, the chances of our breeding anymore like the old days grows smaller every generation. If this is the evolution of our species, I don't like it. Where you got your gifts from I can't fathom, but I believe you are on a level with those ancient sages of my species."

Falco snorted. Friad just grinned at that.

"Long, long ago there were CloudRunner who could take hold of their very life-forces and melt them into those of others. They could use their own lives, their own strength to help heal others, buy them time while medicines worked. It will not be as hard for you now as it was for them in those ancient times, the Krazoa will help you. You can buy Krystal the time she needs with your life-force while you wait for Fox."

Falco stared at him.

"Weakened as you are, you could not buy her as much time as you perhaps might have been able to, but, as I've said, she's running out of time. The younglings that we sent to watch over Fox also watch over her. She has very little time left to live, judging by the speed Fox works at, though he is swift he still has a mountain to climb, he will not be in time for her."

Falco looked uneasy "Even if I spoke to him and told him the truth?"

Friad felt trapped "I'm sure if you spoke to him it would do much to move his feet, I think you should talk to him anyway, but, there is still much for him to do, things you can't help him with, things he has to do himself, even if he grew wings to fly _he_ could not save her, that now lies only in your power." Friad paused and looked at him "You must know the risks. If Fox takes too long... Krystal will drain you of your life force. You will die, and Krystal shortly after you"

Falco sighed "I got that impression anyway"

"If you want my advice, talk to Fox. He'll go so much faster if he knows you are depending on him."

Falco shook his head "I don't think my being in the equation will make any difference to him. Besides I can't, I won't do that to them, going back will hurt them more than my disappearance. I no longer have a place with Fox."

Falco climbed the ladder onto the roof; Friad flew up to the top.

"I think he would be more willing to help you than a stranger."

"Not if that stranger is wearing a bikini"

Friad sighed and shook his head "So many years you have walked at his side, I don't think he would be as willing to change that as you think"

"That was the last thing he wanted when he was ordering me off _his_ ship"

"You both said things in anger you did not mean"

"I meant every word" He growled dropping down onto the bundle of blankets that was his bed.

"You are both so thick skinned! You try so hard to be defensive, to stop yourselves getting hurt. If you just stopped trying to be so tough all the time you _might _be able to understand one another, and save yourselves all this pain-"

"You sound like Peppy"

"Then he had a point. From the outside looking in you two do seem very silly. You obviously care about each other, you just refuse to admit that to yourselves" Friad looked at him sadly "Falco, take some advice from an old man who knows... tell the people you love that you do, because one day it will be too late"

"Don't you think I already know that?"

"Then you must think Fox will always be with you, since you feel no need to tell him" Friad sighed "You may yet outlive him"

Falco looked down and shook his head "I-I don't want to" he almost whispered

"You don't mean that. Life can seem very hard at times, but we must cling to it. Tell Fox and the others, it will take nothing from you, it doesn't make you weak or anything else, it may make you stronger, at very least you won't be left with any regrets. Fox will not laugh at you, he'll understand if you are sincere. You may find he loves you as a brother in return..." Friad sighed "There is another option, with the Krazoa I mean... there is a slight chance you may be able to persuade the Krazoa to let Krystal go, and leave Andross dead. If you can do that..."

"Problem solved!!"

"Don't get excited. The Krazoa are fickle, stubborn creatures, even more stubborn than you are. It is unlikely you will be able to dissuade them, although I thought it would be wise to inform you of the possibility, likelihood is you will have to bond with Krystal. The method is surprisingly simple, though very few prove to be capable. You must-" Friad paused and made a face "Open yourself to the one you want to bond with. It's like... projecting your soul, letting it take wing and alight in the mind of the one you wish to bond with"

Falco laughed

"I thought you'd like that analogy. The Krazoa will likely take your minds to a medium where you can connect, all you have to do this time is concentrate, like when you use your telepathy, speak to them with it and they will do the rest. When you reach her you must connect yourself to her mind, put your soul into hers and tie them together-"

Friad noticed the anxiety on Falco's face.

"I won't lie to you. The ancients said this was as close as you could ever get to another; your very life forces are combined. They used to say something of the donor always remains in the recipient... and some said the other way too"

"Friad... I don't know I want..." He trailed off

"This is especially hard with a stranger, it's meant to be done with someone you love and care for, not a stranger. Krystal will see a lot of you, she gets a copy of some of your memories; not something she will appreciate. She will hurt you, intentionally or not, she will hurt you."

Falco looked down "But it's the only way to save her?"

"Yes. And the rest of us on Dinosaur Planet if Fox takes too long, they have to get the energy for the oxygen supply somewhere"

"Then I have no choice" Falco said sadly and went to stand. Friad pushed him down again.

"There is more. As Kayla and I wandered the palace I noticed one of the fan lifts had broken down... I hope that you learned some sort of skills from Slippy as Fox will need it-"

"Friad, I'm _not_ a mechanic!"

"No, but our technology is simple in comparison to your own, it is that or you leave Fox to fix it"

Falco snorted "And Krystal and I will die while he hangs around scratching his furry head. I'd better do it"

Friad laughed softly "Yes... For now rest"

"But I've already spent most of today asleep!"

"All the better. You injured yourself with the Krazoa, a little rest will do you no harm, Krystal needs you to be as strong as you can be."

At that Friad spread his wings and took himself away.

He couldn't bring the staff back around fast enough. The SharpClaw struck him and he fell awkwardly, twisting in the air so that he landed on his back. He brought the staff up above his body only just in time. The SharpClaw's mace stopped only inches from his bleeding nose, sending ripples shuddering down his arms. Somewhere one of the baby CloudRunner chattered an alarm call. Fox and the SharpClaw stared at one another, Fox growing more and more aware of a pain in his left leg. Fox's arms were barely strong enough to hold back the SharpClaw's weight, he could feel his back sinking deeper and deeper into the sand on which he lay. For a terrible moment he wondered what would happen if the staff broke. It was bending dangerously in the centre. If the SharpClaw was smart enough to think of bringing the mace around again before he could get out of the way he'd be done for. He thought of calling Tricky for help, but he had problems of his own, only just holding back a band of SharpClaw with his fire-breath. That was cruel, picking on a kid. Fox decided it was time to play dirty. He lifted his good leg and kicked the SharpClaw in a particularly tender place. Howling it backed of, and still laying on the floor Fox brought the staff round and finished it off with a fire blast to the head. That done he turned his staff on Tricky's tormentors, and shot those the little dinosaur hadn't killed himself in the back. Seeing him safe Fox collapsed back onto the sand.

"Fox, Fox are you ok?" Tricky shouted, running over. Fox opened his eyes to see Tricky's concerned purple face peering over him.

"I think so..." Fox said sitting up. As he did so a fierce stabbing pain shot down his left leg "Agh! Maybe not!" he shouted. When he looked down at his leg he saw a lot of blood staining his green trousers and the sand. Feeling sick he lay back down again, groaning.

"Your bleeding! Did the SharpClaw hurt you bad?"

"ugh... kinda Tricky... I'll be ok in a minute... just let me rest a sec ok?"

Whimpering Tricky lay down by his side, warm against his body. Fox's world was going swirly and dark when a bleeping sound brought him back with a bump.

"Whaat" He mumbled down his comm.

"Fox, get up and do something about that wound" Peppy's voice. "I can't come and help you there's nowhere safe to land, short of abseiling down the rocks, or taking my Arwing for a swim in the sea." A pause "Fox are you listening to me?"

"Yes Peppy"

"You have your med-kit in your backpack, I suggest you use it" Another pause "FOX! For goodness sake! Sort yourself out or I _will_ come and do it for you!"

"Ugh... It hurts..."

"I know Pup. You have painkillers in your bag. _Use_ them! That's why we spend a small fortune on them every year! Get Tricky to help you"

"Yeah, yeah I'll help" Fox felt Tricky start to nose at him to make him sit up. "Come on Fox you're heavy"

Reluctantly Fox sat up, and pulled the pack off his back.

"Are you doing it?"

"Yes Peppy"

"Good boy"

After a large shot of one fast acting field painkiller or another Fox found the wound wasn't nearly as bad as it might have been. He was hopeful no bones had been broken. He treated a deep gash along his hip and thigh and hoped for the best. After a large amount of cursing he was finished and dared to think about finding his feet again. Using the staff for support he stood uneasily. The pain wasn't so bad now, masked by the drugs. With Tricky close by his side he tottered off.

"Watch yourself Fox, you can't afford to take anymore hits like that. Next time it might be your head."

"Always the optimist" Fox said sarcastically, his humour re-emerging, now the pain was veiled behind a thick wall of drugs.

The baby CloudRunner was back, sitting in Falco's lap, chewing eagerly at his fingers, Falco allowed it to do so, glad of it's companionship, he'd only been able to catch a few hours sleep, then he'd woken with a start unable to comprehend exactly what it had been that had woken him. He sat again on the roof, his legs dangling over the side, looking out at the lake over which the fortress was built, he watched a few CloudRunner fly past in a large group, then one turned away and flew towards him, as it drew closer he recognised Friad.

"_Friad!" _Falco called.

"_I see you are awake child. I have just finished a meeting with the council, do you see them flying?" _

"_Yes" _

Friad alighted on the roof. He grinned down at the baby sat in Falco's lap.

Friad chuckled to himself "Your friend has fallen foul of the Lightfoot..."

"What?!! Is he alright!?"

"Yes, yes don't worry, I've already sent an old student to help him. He'll be well looked after" Friad smiled "It appears they think Fox is a thief..."

It was Falco's turn to smile "They got the wrong one there..."

"Tied him to a totem pole"

Falco laughed then stopped suddenly "Wait- a totem pole?"

"Yes"

"You were right. I did dream that... He's alright isn't he... in my dream... Andross and... They stabbed him... and... and..." he trailed off for a moment, pausing to shake the image from his mind "he _is_ ok... isn't he?"

"Yes, the younglings gave me warning in time. I sent someone to help him. He has injured his leg but I believe he will be fine. The younglings will warn us if it is otherwise." Friad chuckled "That particular youngling has grown quite fond of you" He peered more closely at it "Ah yes I know her, she is my granddaughter, Cathy we call her"

Falco looked down at her as she continued to chew his fingers.

"Funny, I always assumed it was a boy"

Friad smiled "She is a new one, of this season"

"but Friad, it thought you said all the females and children had fled"

"The older ones yes" Friad pointed his beak up to a small group of babies sitting on the roof. "Up until 2 years our young live free, as the birds do, the telepaths can see through their eyes, as we watch over Fox, but we have no control over them. At two years they begin to remain around the fortress, the biggest of those up there would be about two years, about twice the size of little Cathy you have there. At three years language begins to develop and they return to the fortress or our homesteads, usually the place of their birth and begin to reintegrate into our society. At four most have a place to call home with us and enough language to get by. Over the next few years language and intelligence grows. By eight they are ready to begin their lessons, I begin teaching telepathy between ten and twelve, if I haven't found them by then the likelihood is they aren't good enough." He sighed, saddened for the first time "There used to be lots of telepathy teachers, now there's only me. Any more would be wasted. I have a class of eleven this year, fifteen the year before that. The time to teach all the lessons of telepathy vary between the individuals, now there are so few I can give them their own lessons. With them all fled to the safe place you are my only student." He shook himself "CloudRunner aren't fully grown until they reach twenty five. Kayla was sixteen when she died... Nomad isn't yet his full size... Kayla was the very last of my younglings, and therefore my most dear, and I'm now far beyond the breeding age."

"So... how old are you Friad?"

He smiled "Old enough to be your great-grandfather"

Cathy was in the process of trying to make Falco's jumper into a comfortable nest.

"Do you have many children?"

"Yes, I have sired many sons and daughters over the years"

Falco raised and eyebrow

"Look around you Falco, only one in four of us are born male, the warriors are all that are left here mainly, so you do see lots if males, but it is not uncommon for us to have many female partners, I know that is not your practice, but I'd ask you not to frown on ours"

Falco shook his head "No, I have nothing against it" Falco smiled "It wasn't Fox's practice either, and he took great pleasure in making sure I knew it... ugh" Falco shuddered "Didn't want those images"

"No I suppose not" Friad laughed

"You don't seem old Friad"

"I am..."

"But your still strong and... I dunno, you just don't seem old"

"I'm not in my grave yet" he laughed "But I did not flee with the others partly because I felt I belonged here, and partly because I was afraid I would not be able to make the trip."

"But you've taken me all over the place"

"The journey to our safe place is a long and difficult one, that is why it is safe. Unfortunately it is beyond the very young and very old"

"But you can carry me too"

"You're not exactly a heavyweight" Friad shook his head "if I tried to carry Fox, even Krystal I wouldn't get very far"

"I don't weigh that much less than Fox!"

"Maybe not when you left him, but now... I could carry them" he chuckled "but I'd rather have you on my back... Giving a bird his wings, even if they're only borrowed must be worth it!"

Falco laughed

"_Help me... I'm dying..."_

His laughter stopped abruptly. Falco and Friad exchanged mutually confused glances.

"_Please help me..."_

The female voice squeaked, when she called again it was weaker.

"_Please... help me, anyone who hears this... please... help me... Friad...Nomad... are you there?... someone, anyone, help me...I'm desperate " _

The voice went quiet, they waited but she said no more. Friad turned gravely to Falco.

"This cannot wait any longer. Krystal needs you now."

"But, but... I'm not ready yet!" Falco glanced down "Look at me!! I'll do her more harm than good at the moment!"

"Krystal is running out of time. The bonding will not harm her Falco. You are ready." He sighed "You'll have to be. We'll leave as soon as you can gather the things you need"

"_Please... it hurts..." _

Falco went deathly pale and froze to the spot. It seemed to take a long time for him to find his voice, but when he did it was determined.

"I'll get my stuff"

A few moments later Falco returned to Friad, a small pack slung over his shoulder.

"I'm ready" He called trotting up.

"What you got there?" Friad asked

"My insurance policy... just in case I run into something... and a few tools to help with the fan lift."

Friad eyed the bag "Alright, climb aboard"

Falco climbed back onto Friad's back and they again lifted into the sky.

Friad touched down on the roof of Krazoa palace. For the first time Falco saw Krystal suspended in her purple prison above the palace, the blue Krazoa, like jellyfish circling around her, their tails fanned out behind them. Falco smiled at her as he slid from Friad's back, this really was weird, like some dream. Falco would never have believed someone who had told him about this just a few weeks ago. His life seemed to have changed a lot in the last little while. Falco let his hand rest on Friad's shoulder, for a moment uncertain. He didn't relish the idea of being alone again and for a moment wished Friad could come with him. He wouldn't be alone once he bonded with Krystal. Friad nudged him gently and smiled.

"_Take care child. I'll see you in time" _

He spread his wings.

"_Friad wait!"_

Falco called but Friad had already gone off the side of the palace. Falco looked around himself, there were no SharpClaw about up here, he drew up the mental map of the palace in his mind in walked cautiously to the down fan-lift.

Cautiously he peered over the edge of the lift. The air coming up it ruffled the feathers on his head. Calling up all his faith and courage he walked out into the void, the air of the lift caught him and he fell slowly down, it was hard to keep his balance as he went so he barely landed on his feet. He stepped off the fan-lift and looked around. A SharpClaw had just walked past; its back towards him, Falco smiled and took great satisfaction in shooting it in the back. Not the most noble of tactics Falco knew, but noble warriors died. He walked cautiously around the outside of the fan lifts, his reflection glinting off the stone floor. He looked across into the centre of the palace, at the huge platforms rising up to where Krystal was held on the roof. Looking for more SharpClaw he jumped out onto the central fan lifts to descend to the lower levels.

Falco heard footsteps coming closer. The stride was familiar, he knew it well.

"Fox? Shit!" Falco ducked down a corridor. He heard Fox pause. Falco held his breath.

"Great Foxy now you're hearing voices" Falco heard him say. He heard his light footsteps pass him and move on down along the edge of the fan lifts. Falco stepped out of his hiding place again. He watched Fox jump onto one of the lifts and disappear up and out of view.

"It's good to see you again Fox... it's been far too long" he receded back into the passageway. He had to give Fox time to release the spirit and get out again. He couldn't afford to be disturbed...

Fox frowned up at Krystal and the three Krazoa circling her, he couldn't resist coming to see her again before he released the spirit, just to make sure she was alright. Her eyes were still closed, as though she was sleeping. She just hung there, motionless. The sky behind her was turbulent, more purple than blue, threatening rain. Fox took one final look up at her and then trotted away.

Absently he watched the Krazoa rise up the air lifts. Fox would be gone now. He sighed sadly, this felt totally wrong, Falco had never imagined he would be hiding from his old friend. He wanted nothing more than to be back on Great Fox with all of them. Not having to fight to reach every new sunrise. Sighing he trotted back down the corridor to the fan lift.

After fiddling for a long time Falco managed to get the fan lift working again. Fox would need it for the next Krazoa. He hoped he wouldn't find it strange that it had spontaneously started working again, Falco guessed he could count on Fox not to think about it too hard. That done he returned to the central column. After looking around briefly for SharpClaw he took the same path up to Krystal as Fox had.

Falco looked up at Krystal, suspended in her name's sake. He had to smile at the irony. Avions had a saying, that every child grew into their names. He guessed in this case, as in his own, the saying was right. Krystal was blue grey and dressed in skimpy garments, leaving very little to the imagination, obviously modesty didn't mean much where she came from. She was sort of like Silver, only thinner, and Silver wouldn't have been seen dead in clothes like that. Falco retched... he had seen Silver dead, and she hadn't been wearing much more than that. Shaking he fought to suppress the images threatening to overwhelm him again. He locked his mind on the mission ahead and pushed the memories back, into the dark place at the back of his mind they had come from. Falco managed to smile when he thought of Fox's first encounter with her. Falco knew what he would have thought. He looked up at her again, Fox never had been able to resist a girl in a bikini. Personally Falco felt that Krystal had no sense. Wandering around like that was just asking for trouble... Falco again fought back the urge to be sick... and lost.

His palms sweating he forced himself to look back up at Krystal, he wondered if in the state he was in if he would do her more harm than good, the transfer couldn't go the other way, Friad had assured him of that, but Krystal probably wouldn't appreciate his memories.

"Tough shit" Falco said to himself, it was better than death. He frowned considering his thoughts more deeply and found himself asking if it was.

"Yes" he told himself, for Krystal, she would only have to put up with it for a few days, a week at most. Falco was her only option if she wanted to live. Everyone wants to live... don't they? Pushing aside his thoughts Falco prepared to try and bond with her. He closed his eyes, and tried to clear his mind, focusing on the quiet in his head, his thoughts, for once silenced. He slowed his breathing and managed to relax. As the first drops of rain splashed on his head he reached out with his mind.

"_Krazoa Spirits, hear me" _

For a moment Falco wondered if he was wasting his time, surely there were better ways. He could just hurry Fox along. If the spirits would let him he would do it himself. Feeling increasingly stupid he tried again.

"_Krazoa Spirits, I need your guidance. The Dark Hearted One" _

Falco couldn't believe he had just called himself that. Suddenly he felt a rush, it was exhilarating, an instant, if temporary high. He was standing in a blue world. When he looked down he could see his body. Yet he knew his eyes were closed, he was inside his mind. Mildly he wondered if the inside of everyone's head was blue.

"_Falco Lombardi. The Krazoa hear you." _A great deep booming voice rumbled through the silence.

For a moment Falco was lost, he didn't know what to do, he was surprised that it had worked at all. But the hard part was yet to come.

"_Falco Lombardi, why do you seek our guidance?"_

"_I come to beg for the release of the girl"_

"_We cannot allow that Falco Lombardi" _Irritably Falco wished the Krazoa wouldn't call him that... well it was better than "The Dark Hearted One" _"The girl is needed to help us revive the one you call Andross" _

"_You must let her go! You're killing her! You must not revive Andross, for sure his heart is darker than mine." _

"_We are peace spirits, we give life. Dark One, who could not enter our shrines for his impure heart what right have you to decide who lives or dies?" _

"_Andross is Evil! If you revive him you will kill Krystal and Andross will take many more millions of lives!" _

"_Dark One you have taken much life" _Falco was standing back in the Behemoth, his gun in hand surrounded by bodies and pools of blood. The Krazoa were tapping his memories. Falco wished they wouldn't. _"Who are you to decide what is evil. You are a mercenary are you not? You get paid for spilling as much blood as possible. How many lives have you taken for money? You did not always even believe in the causes you were fighting for. That makes you a hired killer, and nothing more." _

"_Andross has taken far more life than me! And if you let him out he will only add to that total! Everyone lost someone to Andross, including me. The fox you see as pure, my friend, his family were lost to Andross. His father was given much pain before he died. Andross is not only a murderer, he is a sadist, he takes great joy in watching the suffering of others."_

"_But you Dark One took great pleasure in killing the one you called Mitoc. Does that not make you as bad as Andross?"_

Falco felt deeply sick, he couldn't deny the pleasure he had taken form killing him. Maybe that did make him evil... his heart seemed to go cold. Then he was aware he was speaking again

"_I did not make him suffer before he died. Which is a greater luxury than he gave my team... and me. Had I not killed him he would have killed me... slowly... as he was already trying to do. We are mortal... with emotions...we all seek revenge... for the hurts we are given... if we did not... we would not be people. You cannot expect a saint after what happened to us... anyone would feel as I did"_

Falco wasn't sure where those words had come from. He was just numbly aware that it sounded like something Peppy would say. For a moment Falco didn't feel quite so alone...

"_Maybe so Dark One... Maybe then the evil Andross caused is spawned purely of being a person, therefore do you not believe that he deserves a second chance? He must be well loved if his people have gone to such lengths to get him this far."_

"_I do not know what those lengths involve, but they do not love Andross. They do it because they believe they will gain something if he rises to power. They do it for their own interests and no-one else's. There are many dead that deserve second chances more than Andross. Fox's father, my strike team, Slippy's brother and the millions of other helpless civilians Andross and his forces slaughtered." _

"_But they are not here. The only one we can help is Andross. Why should we not help him, given the chance. Would you not ask us to do the same for the ones you love? Would the families of those whose blood you shed not beg us to bring them back?" _

"_I don't deny that!" _Falco cried, this conversation was painful... too close to home _"But if you revive Andross you will be making a terrible mistake! A mistake not all of us will live to regret! If you bring him back you will waste all the lives that were given to destroy him before!"_

"_People can change Falco Lombardi..."_

"Andross_ will not change! Even in his death the remainders of his forces still take lives, believing he will return to lead them. Your planet is fractured because of the actions of his followers, building a machine to destroy! If you bring him back you will be saving one life by forsaking millions of others. You have to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes one must die for the good of the rest. You must not revive him, just let Krystal go!" _

"_You believe what you are saying now Dark One... that much is clear. But we Krazoa are left wondering, how can we trust the judgement in this area and grant the request of someone who does not consider his own life sacred?"_

He was back on the Behemoth again, cowering at Mitoc's feet. Images flooded across Falco's mind, his own thoughts echoed around the blue expanse "_I didn't want to wake up_". His head was being held under the water again. _"Hold me under, please end this!"_

Falco wanted to scream, the Krazoa couldn't understand, he wondered if they were capable of feeling pain, if they could even comprehend it.

"_We are also left questioning your morality, if you even carry the blood of those you considered friends"_

Salty, Silver and the others flashed across his mind, their faces more vivid, intensified by the spirit's power.

"_No, no I did what I thought was right. I tried to save them! I did my best and more, but my best was sorely lacking." _

"_We're sorry Falco Lombardi, Dark One, we cannot grant this request to the impure of heart. Andross will be revived."_

"_But you're killing Krystal!" _

"_The girl will be fine, when all of our brothers are returned here she will be released unharmed" _

"_What if it takes too long for your brothers to be returned to you? Krystal is fading, what if Fox is too late" _

The Krazoa were silent. Falco felt a swirling sensation, sort of like the world spreading out. For a moment he dared to think the Krazoa might be going to release Krystal.

"_The Pure One will not be too late" _

"_But what if he is!!!" _Falco pleaded, desperate, if he could get the spirits to let Krystal go he could save a lot of trouble, maybe even both his and Fox's lives.

"_The Pure One will have to be on time. Andross will be revived. In the hope of saving two we continue._"

Falco knew what it had come down to. The stubborn spirits could not be reasoned with. Falco now set about saving as many lives as he knew how. Andross could be dealt with later. He couldn't just sit back and watch Krystal die.

"_Then I add another life. In the hope of saving another I will add my strength to Krystal's to buy her and The Pure One time."_

Falco couldn't believe he'd just called Fox that.

"_Dark One, you wish to join with the girl?... It appears we may have misjudged your spirit."_

Falco for another fleeting moment dared to hope the Krazoa might change their minds.

"_Nevertheless Falco Lombardi our decision still stands. However we will help you bond with one you call Krystal. Are you ready?"_

"_Yes" _Falco said nervously, and swiftly locked down the private parts of his mind, the ones he really didn't want Krystal to see.

"_The Trapped One's spirit is here, it has always been. She can now speak, listen for her voice, call out to her and we will guide you as best we can, however the final contact must come from you." _

Falco nodded.

"_Krystal?" _He called _"Krystal... can you hear me?" _

"_Huh?" _a new voice, unmistakably female _"Who are you?" _

"_My name is Falco, I'm here to help you"_

"_So I heard" _

Smart ass. Falco knew immediately he wasn't going to like her much.

"_Are you the red fox that looks up at me in my prison?" _

Falco couldn't suppress a chuckle, he could laugh at Fox for this one...

"_With a name like Falco, what d' you think?" _he responded

"_Then what are you doing here?" _

Falco was aware a Krazoa was gliding by his side leading him forward, towards the sound of Krystal's voice with a light touch of one of it's tentacle thingies against his hand.

"_Like I said. I came here to help you" _

"_How do you intend to do that, without getting me out of here?" _

"_All in good time" _

Falco found himself standing in front of the female Canite. Even her metal picture of herself was scantily clothed.

"_Hullo" _Falco said smiling.

"_What are you?" _Krystal asked frowning at him. Falco was a little insulted.

"_What, you never seen an Avion before?" _

"_A what?" _

"_Never mind, we're gunna have plenty of time for you to find out. You'll know every pain and pleasure that it is to be Avion soon enough" _

Falco reached out his hand towards her. She snatched it back. Falco was startled. The Krazoa began circling them. Falco frowned at her.

"_Give me your hand" _Falco said, gently, though he didn't completely understand why. _"Its alright, I wont hurt you" _Something from the Behemoth flickered through his mind, he understood why she would be unwilling.

"_I am not frightened of you." _They weren't even bonded yet and she seemed to be reading him _"You are dirty, your hands are dirty." _

Falco looked down at his hands, his fingers that no longer moved, the swelling around them, he noted bloodstains on his hands, missing feathers, the stubborn brown dirt. He hadn't noticed the mess before. He tried to ignore it.

"_I do not want to bond with someone like you."_

Krystal said coldly. Falco wondered what she thought "bonding" meant.

"_You must let me, otherwise you will die. It will not hurt you, I promise. I will not harm you. I need only your hand."_

"_Just my hand?"_

Falco nodded, feeling sick at the thought of what Krystal might have believed he was going to do to her. _"Silver... I... miss you..."_ Falco thought, just to himself. Before he could bond he should get rid of that pain. He pushed it aside. Krystal's hand was nearer him now. Falco reached out and took it. His hand seemed bigger than hers, and more worn. Falco was about to begin the process when Krystal spoke.

"_Why should I trust you Dark One?"_

"_Friad sent me to help you, and right now, I'm the only one who can. You don't have to do anything, just don't fight it, keep your mental blocks down."_

"_Friad sent you?"_

"_Yes. He never got as far as teaching you this little trick, he only taught me so I could help you. I heard your telepathic cries, I congratulate you on managing to get into Fox's thick skull." _

Krystal didn't seem too convinced, nevertheless she seemed willing to allow Falco to do whatever it was he was going to do. Falco opened the boundaries in his mind, creating a doorway, Krystal had minimal mental defences, and they were down so Falco had no problem reaching into her mind. The impression he got was like hitching a rope over a peg in Krystal's head, tying them together. Then it was done and the strength transfer began... Falco felt as though water was draining through him, as though his body and mind were a bucket with a hole in the bottom. Krystal gasped as an uplifting sensation filled her mind and along with it a seemingly new, alien consciousness...

Meanwhile onboard Great Fox Slippy had been staring at Falco's bio-signature since he had arrived almost an hour ago. He had been brought to the palace on the back of his customary CloudRunner, it had disappeared again after dropping him off. Slippy had watched Falco's signal descend into the palace. Exactly what he had been doing remained an almost complete mystery. Slippy had watched with baited breath as Fox had gone within 6 feet of Falco, yet still managed to remain blissfully ignorant of his presence, Slippy had found himself cursing Fox's unwillingness to turn his head, something in the way Falco moved from the side corridor after he passed told him that, secretly, Falco wouldn't have minded being found too much. Falco had given Fox time to get out of the palace then gone up to where Krystal hung. What Falco did then Slippy could not even begin to fathom. He stopped near to the circling Krazoa, and remained there. Slippy just gathered that at one point he fell to the ground, and didn't get up again. Nothing happened for a long time. Then as Slippy was beginning to get bored and had started to assume Falco was taking a nap the Krazoa seemed to begin to dispel and Krystal started to show signs of returning consciousness. Then it all went backwards, and Krystal slipped back into the state she'd been in before. A few moments later as Slippy watched the bio-readout something went horribly wrong. Falco's heart rate plummeted until... Alarms screamed and the screen was lit up with a flashing image, the heart and lungs with a giant warning over the top of them, flashing bright red and saying in a loud voice:

"Warning cardiovascular output ceased... Bio-signature lost-crewman Falco Lombardi"

Slippy stared at the screen in disbelief. It couldn't be. He was so stunned that for what felt like an eternity he couldn't get his mind to work to figure out what to do. Peppy was the medic, there was still time. Slippy snapped back to reality. He reached out for the comm. to contact Peppy.

"Cardiovascular output detected. Bio-signature stabilising." The computer told him. Slippy's hand paused over the comm. his heart told him to call Peppy anyway but for some reason he couldn't make himself do it. Instead he turned to Falco...

"_Good luck to you Falco Lombardi, we Krazoa hope that the Pure One is in time to save you both."_

"_So do I" _

"_Falco Lombardi, we the Krazoa are not sure if you truly deserve the name "Dark One"... Your actions have proven your heart still remains in the right place, even if it is impure. Your actions here are the beginnings of the path to redeem yourself. The Krazoa will find a new name for you. We are sorry we could not help you more in your quest... We will be watching you Falco Lombardi, we will find you a better name..."_

Falco came around. He was laid on the floor. He must have fallen down during the process. It was raining, so hard Falco wondered if he would have been drowned by the puddle around his face had he lain there much longer. He was soaked through, and extremely cold. The words of the Krazoa rang around his mind. Maybe they were right to call him Dark One. His father had said he was evil, he'd wondered himself, maybe the Krazoa were right. He would have to save more than just Krystal's life to be anything other than dark. Falco turned his head to look up at Krystal. The Krazoa still circled her, but she was alive at least. Falco hoped he had bought her the time she needed. He also hoped Fox would hurry, he would have to get Slippy to remind him of the promised quick completion bonus always given by General Pepper. Falco looked over at the Krazoa statue. There was more going on here than any of them realised. If he'd been able to persuade the Krazoa not to revive Andross things could have been so much simpler, but Peppy had always been the best at mind games. Falco sighed. That didn't matter now. Falco and Krystal's fates were now deeply intertwined, they were both relying on Fox, though he didn't know it.

"Don't screw up now buddy, we're counting on you." Falco said to himself.

He was stirred from his thoughts by a bleeping on his arm. He rolled onto his back, for a moment not realising where the sound was coming from. Then Slippy's voice came over the comm.

"Falco what the hell just happened... you were dead!"

Falco was startled, Friad hadn't told him anything about that.

"Really? I was dead?" Falco asked intrigued.

"Well, your heart stopped" Slippy said concerned. He really should just call Peppy, it wasn't normal for someone's heart just to randomly stop then start again. Falco must be really sick.

"Cool!" Falco answered trying to sound casual. It wouldn't be the first time. Slytir and Mitoc had killed him more than once. He shivered in the rain. Krystal shivered too. Falco watched her, the process had worked, that meant Krystal could be floating around in his head somewhere, he'd have to find her soon, but for now he had more important things to worry about, he had to concentrate on staying alive until she was released, if he perished they would die together.

"Falco... What did you do? Krystal... her heart... it's beating with yours" Slippy asked confused. They were both sick, Krystal was better than she had been, but Falco was worse, and he couldn't afford to be worse, he was tottering on the brink anyway.

"Shit Slippy you're too clever for your own good!"

"What? Falco what's going on?" Slippy shouted, but to no avail. Falco had cut the comm. Slippy tried again, he tried to get a message through but Falco had blocked the channel with skill Slippy would never have credited him with.

"Damn you Falco!!!!" Slippy shouted. He now faced a battle with his conscience. Tell Peppy and betray Falco, though he still couldn't understand why he was so worried about being found, or not tell Peppy and risk being made to watch Falco die and be too late to do anything about it. "Why are you doing this to us Falco?... I'd love to know what's going on inside your head..."

"_What is this? All this noise... all these images... I don't know a frog..."_

"_Those are my thoughts, my memories... and actually, he's a toad. Welcome to _my_ mind." _

"_What the? Who?... Your mind?"_

"_Yes, your mind has been linked with mine... you have access to my memories and primary thoughts. I'm afraid neither of us will get much privacy for the next few days. From what I've been told you see more of me than I do of you. Along with my strength you get a whole bunch of my memories... which explains the images." _

"_Your strength?"_

"_You were dying, I've tied you to me so that hopefully between us you can survive until the Krazoa let you go. I apologise in advance." _

"_What for?" _

"_My memories... I haven't had the easiest life... and my head is just a little fucked up right now... even before you came" _

"_You must be a weirdo if you're willing to admit being fucked in the head." _

"_You have no idea..."_

"_But I'm going to find out right?"_

"_See you're learning already!" _

Falco wandered across the top of Krazoa palace. He was aware he staggered, all his limbs seemed to weigh twice what they normally did, and at the back of his mind there always seemed to be a constant draining sensation, this was going to get worse, not better. Lightning cracked across the sky like a whip. Falco flinched, part of himself expecting to be knocked to the ground by the stinging blow.

"_What? Afraid of a little lighting?" _Krystal asked mockingly. Falco couldn't be bothered responding, she would find out soon enough.

"_Friad... I need a lift" _Falco called out from where he stood at the edge of the palace.

"_I'm already on my way... Did you bond with Krystal?"_

"_Yes" _

"_How do you feel?"_

"_Crap... but kinda hungry"_

"_That'll be Krystal; she won't have eaten anything since she got trapped in there... I see you Falco."_

Falco squinted at the sky against the rain. As he watched another flash of lightning cracked the sky, seeming to split it in two. After a few second he could just pick up Friad's brown form against the storm clouds. Mildly Falco waved. A few seconds later Friad alighted next to him, and turned his bright yellow eyes to look at him.

"You look like a drowned falcon!"Friad chuckled to himself "Climb aboard, be careful you don't slip, my back's all wet"

Falco carefully climbed onto Friad's back.

"All set?" he asked. Falco took hold of the collar round the base of Friad's neck.

"Yes!" he shouted over the rumble of the storm.

"_Hold on tight child, its going to be a bumpy ride!" _Friad called to Falco's mind, as the noise of the storm increased.

"_Make it fast Friad... I'm freezing"_

"_Righty ho! CloudRunner Express at your service" _

Falco had to smile at that, he was flying after all. He watched as Krazoa palace got smaller and smaller beneath them, crouching low against Friad's neck against the rain, wishing he'd stolen something waterproof. Suddenly Friad swung to the side, and Falco felt as though he was going to be left behind, to fly all on his own. He clung on tightly and managed to stay on Friad's back, though only just.

"_Sorry about that Falco, we ran into a little squall. We'll soon be to the gateway, it's a nice night at the fortress. You'll soon be warm and dry"_

Friad beat his powerfulwings and circled upwards towards the purple light in the sky that was the doorway. Until he turned his head up to fly into it.

"_Ready?" _Friad asked, though it was too late to go back now.

"_Yes" _Falco managed to say before his world was turned upside down. The colours, blue, purple and red again swirled over a backdrop of shining stars, like a really bad acid trip, Falco imagined. Friad seemed to multiply then disappear again beneath him, his outline blurred, making Falco feel that at every move he would fall. Then there was a rushing sound and they were back out in normal sky, gliding swiftly down towards CloudRunner Fortress, dripping wet in a cloud free sky.

"_Welcome back" _A strange voice called into Falco's mind.

"_That's Caprice, an old student of mine. I asked her to await our return" _Friad told Falco.

"_oh" _Falco shivered _"The sooner we land the better... I'm so cold..." _

"_Easy child... just hold on a little longer." _

A moment later Friad flew into the palace and touched gently down. Falco slid gratefully from his back, pausing to pat his shoulder as though he were a horse. Friad turned his beady yellow eyes on him as another CloudRunner walked up to them, a blanket slung over her back. She walked up to Falco and to his immense surprise bowed her head to him.

"Long has it been since there was one such as you" She said then turned to pick the blanket off her back and hand it to him with her beak. Confused, though grateful Falco took it

"What does that mean?"

"Caprice, Falco is tired, do not bother him with your riddles"

"Riddle?" Falco asked as he rubbed the water from his aching limbs

"_Not the brightest star in the sky..." _Falco jumped when Krystal spoke.

"Shut up!" Falco said aloud, then checked himself _"Shut up" _

"_I heard you anyway" _Krystal scoffed

"_Oh really. Good for you"_

The two CloudRunner Falco noticed suddenly were waiting patiently for him to finish his conversation.

"Err..." Falco began.

"Caprice will escort you back to your room. I have to meet with the council" Friad said and walked quickly off.

"Come on! Follow me!" Caprice cried cheerfully as she led the way "So what's it like flying in your metal bird? Don't you get lost in all that space out there? Don't you fly into the stars when you move so fast?" Her shrill voice and energy was beginning to give Falco a headache.

"Err..."

"Do you have a metal bird that's CloudRunner sized? I don't think I'd fit in your little sparrow thingy"

That was a new name for an Arwing...

"Do you have lots of those thingy's? Fox has one doesn't he? I like Fox he's funny, all his fur stands on end when he gets wet! Do you like Fox? Are there many more like him out there? Is-"

"One question at a time _please_!" Falco broke in exasperated.

"yes, yes sorry Friad said I talk too fast, and too much for that matter"

Falco smiled to himself.

"This is your room" she said opening the door with her beak. "its warmer than the roof. Friad said you don't like closed in spaces but this is better for tonight, the roof will be too cold for you"

She hopped up onto Friad's perch as Falco sank gratefully onto the bed.

"You sure do sleep in a funny way."

Falco yawned at her, trying to hint.

"You're funny!" She said laughing

"_don't CloudRunner yawn?"_

"_Obviously not. Tell her to go away, she's getting on _my_ nerves"_

"_how do you think I feel? She just wont shut up"_

Caprice looked at Falco. "Uh... I'd better be going... Friad will be in to see you in the morning."

She hoped off the perch

"_Hooray!" _Krystal cried

"Goodnight Caprice" Falco said as she let herself out _"Goodnight Krystal" _

Lombardi dreamt in colour, although Krystal was left wishing he didn't. Most of it was red, she couldn't scream out loud, her purple prison stopped that. Instead she screamed at him with her mind.

"_Wake up you asshole!! For fuck's sake wake up!" _

The screaming, the red, the black and the twisting sensation continued.

"_Please wake up!" _Krystal started to plead, she'd had enough, it was horrible, tears pricked at her eyes _"Falco, please, wake up!" _

Falco sat bolt upright in his bed in the depths of the CloudRunner fortress. Panting hard and clutching at his throat. Friad wasn't there... but someone had woken him. Krystal composed herself again before speaking.

"_Do you have any idea what you just put me through you bastard!?" _Falco's mind was too much of a mess to conjure a response. Like Friad had taught him he tired to calm himself and put the scattered pieces of his mind back in the places where they belonged. He was numbly aware of Krystal ranting about something.

"_You bastard! Keep your twisted dreams to yourself in future, you...FREAK!" _

Falco's anger erupted, though when he thought his voice came through weakly.

"_Do you think I want to have dreams like that? Its worse if you've actually lived through it!... I'm sorry though I should have warned you"_

"_You knew that was going to happen!!" _

"_mm I didn't know it would... but it does most nights now" _

"_Well just make sure it doesn't happen again. At least not while I'm here" _

"_I can't help it if I'm asleep" _Falco paused thoughtfully _"But maybe you can. If I start to have one of those just wake me up ok? It'll be far better for the both of us" _

"_ok..." _

"_I'll talk to you properly in the morning"_

He could hear birdsong. Smell nature on the air, instead of a perpetually recycled atmosphere, he was warm, and dry and for just a moment a dream swirled with reality and Falco thought he was on shore leave with the team. For a moment he thought he heard Fox's snoring where they shared a room.

"_Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" _a female voice waking him? Fox must have brought one of his girlfriends home _"Or should that be sleeping ugly?" _Fox didn't have the best taste in girls _"Come on feathered freak get up! I'm sick of watching your dreams!" _... his dreams...

Falco opened his eyes, remembering where he was. Sunlight glanced off the walls of the room, he blinked then rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He sat up yawning widely and rubbing his head in his hands. His body ached, his limbs seemed to have seized in his sleep, and Falco was aware he felt much worse than he had when he'd gone to sleep. He was afraid, afraid Fox wouldn't be in time. Falco stood, his feet complaining angrily and tried to work some of the cricks out of his limbs, his arms and even his knees clicked when he moved them.

"_ugh don't do that!" _Krystal complained.

"_I didn't do it on purpose!" _

"_What's the deal with you anyway? I went through some of your memories while you were asleep. Are you a member of this... Star Fox or not?"_

Falco groaned _"No, not anymore"_

"_Then you're a soldier in the Federation Army" _

"_No, I'm not that anymore either"_

"_Then what _are_ you?" _

"_Can't I just be a friend, lending a hand?"_

"_No. You're _not_ my friend, I don't know you" _

"_But you know almost everything there is to know about me, or can find it out, you're in my head..."_

"_What makes you think I want to know?"_

Falco shrugged _"If we're to be linked together like this for a while I had hoped we could come to some sort of understanding of one another"_

Krystal just grunted _"From what I've seen you're not the kind of person I want to associate with" _

It took a long time for Falco to find the words to respond _"Maybe not. But maybe you shouldn't be so quick to judge" _

"_You're a thief and a mercenary, I can't think of much worse a combination"_

"_And what are you Krystal, other than an ungrateful purple bitch?!!" _Falco exploded

"_More than you'll ever be"_

Grinding his beak Falco stormed out of the room, as though by walking he could get away from her.

"_I _was_ a mercenary and I _was_ a thief. I'm not anymore" _

"_No, now you're not anything" _

"_I'm a soldier, fighting a war" _

"_Then who's payroll are you on?" _

"_No-one's but my own. I came here to help Fox" _

"_The guy that stares at me"_

"_The one who is _trying_ to save your life and millions along with it!" _

Krystal just snorted at that and Falco responded with an exasperated sigh.

The ship seemed deathly quiet. It hadn't seemed this empty for years... the only time Peppy could remember it feeling this empty was that time, when ten years ago, battered and filled with holes he'd brought her home alone, without Pigma, and without James. Those days had been the worst in his life, and they seemed prominent in his memory now. The look on Fox's face when he'd realised his daddy wasn't coming home to him, and the memory of the prison cell on Venom haunted Peppy's mind. Great Fox was too big for just him and Slippy, her corridors felt empty and for the first time ever, almost, soulless. He'd always thought of James and Hannah's spirits residing in them, but now, he somehow felt as though there might soon be a few new ghosts residing in her, replacing the living that had once called her "home"... His dreams of late had been strange to say the least, filled with his own worst memories, and a familiar voice whispering just too quietly for him to hear. He dreamed of Fox, that a SharpClaw had killed him and often of darknesses, from which he only ever recovered a corpse. Sometimes even when awake he would think he'd heard snatched parts of conversations, an anxious young voice and an old one or the same young voice talking with a girl. Whenever he tried to listen they would always vanish, figments of his desperate imagination he told himself, wondering if he was going mad. Closing his eyes for a moment he wandered on, along his lonely vigil through the ship...

"_Those SharpClaw aren't so bad" _

"_Remember you're living on borrowed time. You should re-evaluate the side your rooting for. Your time stops with me"_

"_I didn't ask you to do this!" _

"_No you didn't did you. I can cut the link now if you like"_

"_No! That would be murder. Of course your not above that are you Dark One?" _

"_Fuck off Krystal"_

"_I can't! You did this remember."_

"_Yes and I'm beginning to regret it. I wish I'd let you die!" _Falco snarled.

Krystal was silent for a long time, Falco battled with his emotions and slowly came to regret his words.

"_No-one deserves to die..."_

Krystal remained silent.

"_Maybe the Krazoa were right... I'm sorry Krystal... I wont let you die" _

"... _Falco I..." _

"_Seen Fox lately?" _Falco asked changing the subject.

"_No. Not since he brought the last Krazoa. He still insisted on standing there gawping at me though" _

Falco laughed _"He's never been able to resist a pretty girl in a bikini"_

"_You think I'm pretty?"_

"_For a Canite... Not as pretty as Silver though."_

"_Oh well, I'll take it as a compliment that you consider us to even be in the same ballpark" _

"_Fox would say that's the closest you'll ever get to a compliment from me" _

"_He's probably right!"_

"_Yeah..." _

"_Come on, I stink. I need a swim" _

"_Ooooh!" _

Falco laughed _"You can't be serious"_

"_Nah, I prefer older men" _

"Find the Avion!" Friad shouted to a CloudRunner walking down the corridor near the room. She jumped, startled, then nodded.

"Yes sage" She said and ran off down the corridor. Friad watched her until her long tail vanished round a corner. Friad reached his mind out to Falco. His mental defences were up, wherever he was, he didn't want to be found. Friad trotted down the corridor to an opening in the wall. He beat his wings and flew out into the sunshine.

Falco stripped down to his undergarments dropped slowly off the platform at the bottom of the ladder. The cold water made him gasp briefly. He let the water come up to his shoulders as he tread slowly. For a moment he let his head slide under, but not for long enough to feel as though he wasn't in control.

Falco surfaced. A face was peering down at him. He jumped.

"Ah Friad don't do that!"

"What child would you have me do? Your defences were up. I was worried for your safety."

"If I had needed you help I would not have been shielding, I would have called"

"Those who hide their emotions from others frequently become a danger to themselves"

"oh please, don't patronise me"

"That water is cold, you will make yourself ill"

"I think I can take care of myself"

Friad made a face. "You are barely repelling sickness as it is, this is not helping."

"And you're suddenly the expert on Avion physiology?"

"No, but any fool can see-"

"Friad, I don't know about you, but I don't like smelling like a dying horse. This is the best I can do."

At least he was beginning to recapture his spirit, if he cared about his appearance again.

"Get out now child. You really don't smell that bad."

"Gee thanks Friad"

Krystal laughed in his mind. Falco swam over to the bottom of the ladder where Friad was standing and pulled himself out. Friad continued to watch him.

"Happy now"

"Yes..." he tilted his head on one side

"Friad, I'm not going anywhere..."

Friad realised what he was getting at. "I will see you later, for now I will leave you in peace. Keep your shields down so I can keep an eye on you"

Falco nodded as he reached back for the silver wrapped rations he'd brought from what Slippy had dropped him. As he began chewing on a disconcertingly brown bar Friad spread his wings and rose into the sky. Falco looked down at the rations bar in his hand.

"_Brown, why are they always brown?" _He asked. _"Haven't they ever heard of food colouring?"_

"_Usually when people are reduced to eating that stuff the last thing they're worried about is what colour it is." _

"_I suppose so" _Falco paused chewing thoughtfully, he peered at the silver wrapper _"This tastes like chicken" _Falco told Krystal.

"_So?"_

"_It's meant to be rhubarb and custard!"_

"_Oh..."_ she paused laughing quietly to herself. _"Hey Lombardi, isn't eating chicken sort of like cannibalism?"_

Falco chuckled to himself _"You calling me a chicken?" _

"_No, it just seems weird that's all"_

"_I'm a mammal, and _not_ related to a chicken, so, no, its not cannibalism" _

"_Fair enough"_

Falco lay back on the ledge at the bottom of the ladder, his feet still immersed in the water, he closed his eyes and soaked up the warm sunlight.

"_So... err Krystal... what's with your clothes, or rather the lack of them?"_

"_I thought you were too much of a gentleman to notice!" _

"_Oh come on, I'm a teenager!"_

"_yes..." _Krystal laughed_ "A twisted freak of one at that" _

Falco laughed softly before turning serious again.

"_N-nothing happened did it... no one... made you-?" _He stammered

For a moment Krystal felt compassion towards him as she listened to the pained concern in his voice. Her answer she spoke as kindly as she could.

"_No... Not like that."_

"_Good... but why then?" _

"_Sometimes you have to use what you have... to get what you need" _

"_You don't...?" _

"_Not always. I used to jump ship, I didn't always stowaway. Most pilots are men. I have something they want, and sometimes it helps to remind them of that"_

"_Oh" _

"_The old ones are the worst; they just stare at you, hungrily, like you're an object. It sends shivers up your spine" _

"_Ugh!" _

"_You can feel their eyes on you all the time... just... staring at you" _

Falco felt sick, then he remembered he and his kin were little better.

"_Like Fox?..." _

"_The young ones are ok... Sweet, kinda, mostly harmless, most of them wouldn't try anything. Actually I think it's kinda cute"_

"_You think Fox is cute!?"_

"_Yeah... he seems... like just a big softy at heart." _

Falco laughed _"Fox McCloud, a softy... you should see him in a bad mood... or early in the morning" _

"_Mm bed fur"_

"......"

"_Hey Falco, _why_ have you seen Fox in the morning" _Krystal mocked him

"_Ha, ha. I used to have to wake him up some mornings, we used to draw straws as to who would have to do it! I'm sure Peppy used to cheat. Fox is terrible at getting up in the mornings... our big exams... navigation I think it was... he nearly missed it because he forgot to get up. Now that was funny. I went in 10 minutes before we were due to leave and he was still sleeping like a baby-"_

"_Aww..."_

"_no not aww. I've never heard swearing like it"_

Krystal laughed.

"_Are Fox and Slippy your age then or what?"_

"_Slippy's a few months younger than me . Fox is much older. He'll be 19 at the end of the year" _

"_Why was he doing his exams at the same time as you then?"_

"_Well... After his mum and dad died he went a bit off the wall. He had a quite long time off. Then he got expelled from school, by that time he and Peppy were about to have to move onto Great Fox. They had money problems after the war, he doesn't talk about it much but Peppy lost everything. He tried to get work but no-one would take him. When it came down to it, it was the McCloud's house or Great Fox. I don't think Peppy could bear to part with the ship. He wouldn't have gotten what she was worth anyway. They moved onto the ship so it was nearly impossible to send Fox to a proper school. Not that he was willing to go anyway. Eventually Peppy ended up teaching Fox himself, gradually easing him back into his education. Fox wont admit what losing his parents did to him. By that time I was about to join, then Slippy came along, so it was easier for Peppy to teach us all the same thing at the same time. In the end Fox did his exams a little late and Slippy and I did them a bit early."_

"_Peppy's a teacher too? Is there anything he can't do?" _

"_Uh... knit?"_

Krystal laughed.

"_The kind of courses we used to do didn't require that much teaching... Peppy just used to coax and push us into doing it, more of the latter than the first. I feel sorry for him when I look back on it. We must have made his life hell at times..." _

"_How did you fit it all in, what with your flying and everything?"_

"_You'd be surprised how boring life on Great Fox could be. We weren't busy all the time, the way we lived didn't allow us to go out with friends very often. Not that I was overly popular. People were always more interested in Fox." _

"_Do I detect a hint of jealously Lombardi?"_

"_I was always shrouded by Fox's shadow. He was the hero, and I was just the tag along. The subservient little runt who... never mind"_

"_You're arrogant Lombardi-"_

"_Do not call me that. I have spent my life trying not to seem arrogant, because its something I hate so much in other's characters" _

"_You just said you want people to see you as the hero-"_

"_That's _not _what I said. I would just once like to be... I don't know... something more than Fox's wingman. I want to be my own person. I'd like someone to love me for me, not that I'm Fox's friend. I don't want the press attention and I never have, I'd just like... oh I don't know anymore. What does it matter now anyway, now I'm not with Star Fox my name will fade to dust." _Falco sighed _"look at this mission. Fox will go down as a hero for it, and I will simply be the one that vanished... into the shadows... and... never returned"_

"_No-one knows my name and I'm not complaining" _

"_no, I suppose not. Sorry I'm just brooding again" _

Krystalchuckled

"_What?"_

"_Brooding, it just seems like a funny word coming from you!"_

"_Ha, ha very funny" _Falco said sarcastically, but allowed himself to laugh.

"_Oh yeah, Lombardi, that stuff you're eating... looks like shit" _

Falco paused, chewing on another rations bar

"_Yeah, you're right... this one tastes like shit too. I dread to think how long its been sat in Great Fox's armoury, this stuff has a 5 year shelf life. I was just glad to see the box didn't have anything living in it!" _

"_Ugh..." _

"_You have to be careful what you eat with Slippy around. I never forgave him for leaving his chemistry experiment in the kitchen fridge" _

Falco felt Krystal retch.

"_yeah that's exactly how I felt... I think he was trying to grow a friend!" _

"_No-one had the birds and the bees talk with him then?" _

"_Oh must you use that expression?"_

Krystal laughed _"Sorry" _

Falco yawned _"Well sitting here isn't getting anything done is it? I feel like a change of scenery, what about you?"_

"_Oh always! It's dead boring up here, it just rains a lot. Its weird, my eyes are closed but I can still see. Sometimes I look around me here, like I am now, other times I feel as though I'm looking through your eyes."_

"_I can't see what you see... most of this seems to go from me to you then doesn't it, except for the odd scattered glimpse I haven't got anything of your memories"_

"_I got rather more of yours than I'd like" _

"_Yeah... sorry about that"_

Falco climbed back up the ladder onto the walkway at the base of the fortress built above the lake. Humming to himself he walked slowly through the fortress his bare feet slapping wetly against the cool stone floors.

"_Nice tune" _Krystal chuckled. Embarrassed Falco fell silent. To his surprise Krystal began humming the same song in his mind _"I'm bored ok? Come on Falco sing with me!" _

Reluctantly at first Falco began to sing as he walked, softly...

"_I'm a night wisp,_

_Hear my song..._

_I pray thou will hear me_

_When I call to thee _

_Listen to my song_

_The prayer in my heart_

_Hear my cries_

_I'm a night wisp_

_Hear my song _

To his surprise Krystal sang the next verse

_Nobody hears me_

_Though I cry so loud_

_Alone with my fears _

_The shadow in the dark _

_Hear my cry _

_I'm a night wisp _

_Hear my song_

_Hear our song_

_Nobody hears us_

_They all block their ears _

_We are but spectres_

_Or feathers on the wind_

_Hear our cry_

_Hear our cries _

_We are night wisps_

_Hear our song..._

_Hear our song..._

"_You never struck me as the singing type Krystal"_

"_You don't exactly look like a soprano yourself!"_ She laughed softly

"_Hey, Slippy's the soprano, my voice isn't _that_ high"_

Krystal just laughed. _"There must be a songbird in you somewhere"_

It was Falco's turn to laugh _"Probably, we Avions like to sing... as a species"_

"_But don't you have any happy songs?_

"_We have songs for all occasions... that one just seemed appropriate, and it works as well in Lylat as it does in Avion."_

"_Do you have a favourite?"_

"_Actually I like the more sombre ones, they seem to fit my voice more than the faster ones. There's one about life as a thief I like..." _

"_Well what's your favourite" _

Krystal felt Falco get embarrassed

"_I'd rather not say"_

"_Oh come on Lombardi" _

"_hey, I'm already annoyed that you talked me into _singing_, If you told Fox he'd take the piss out of me for weeks" _

"_mmm, now there's an idea. Nah come on Falco lets hear it"_

Falco sighed and relented

_Carry me_

_To the sky_

_Spread your wings and we will fly_

_Carry me _

_Past the clouds_

_Past the brightest of the stars _

_We'll touch the heavens _

_You and I_

_Carry me _

_On your wings_

_When I can't stand on my own_

_Carry me_

_Through the dark _

_Through the foggiest of nights _

_We'll fly forever_

_You and I _

_I'll carry you _

_In my arms _

_Over mountains 'cross the sea_

_I'll carry you_

_Hold my hand _

_Don't you ever let me go_

_We'll soar united _

_You and I _

_I'll carry you_

_Till the end_

_Until I fall to the ground _

_I'll carry you_

_In my heart_

_Till the ending of my days_

_We'll be together_

_You and I_

"_I left someone behind on Avion"_ Falco said simply _"It's a Wanderers' song... it always made me think of her" _Falco sighed _"I miss her... I hope she's ok... wherever she is now..." _

"_I left lots of people behind, not of my own choice"_

Groaning Falco limped into the bay where he had left his Arwing, though he did his best to hide the fact. Quietly he walked up to the Arwing, he ran his hand, that didn't seem to hurt so much along it's cool smooth fuselage. For a moment he just gazed at it. The harsh burnt edges of his severed wing broke the smooth lines of the vessel, diminished its beauty, though only a little. He sighed as his eyes took in the red winged fox painted on the purple wing, he frowned at it and wished...

"_What are you doing" _

Falco jumped

"_Krystal!" _he cried weakly. He shook his head hoping she wouldn't notice

"_Wimp..." _She muttered to his mind. Falco chose to ignore her.

"_Friad, I'm in the docking bay"_

"_I know child" _

"_Where can I find some soap and hot water?"_

"_Caprice is bringing you some"_

"_Did you have to ask Caprice?"_

Friad chuckled softly _"Be kind to her Falco, she has quite a soft spot for you... and a fascination for off-worlders. I thought I'd allow her to indulge it." _

Falco smiled. At that moment Caprice clattered through the docking bay doors.

"Thalco!" She cried, her mouth filled by the handle of a bucket. In his mind Falco heard Krystal laugh at her. Caprice ran up to him and deposited the bucket at his bare feet spilling hot water all over them, she didn't seem to notice. "Friad said you wanted that! What you gunna do? You giving your sparrow a bath?"

Falco smiled at her curious yellow eyes, sparkling with delight. "Sort of, you can help me if you like"

"_Aaah, what?" _Krystal cried.

"_Hey I had a fascination with off-worlds when I was young, if I want to indulge her that's up to me. Besides Krystal, you jealous I wont be giving you my full attention?" _

"_Huh don't flatter yourself" _she scoffed

"What can I do?" Caprice asked keenly

"Are there any rags in that bucket?"

"yep, and some sponges and a smaller bucket"

"Would you squeeze out some rags for me? My hand hurts so I can't do it properly, I need them nearly dry ok? And can you tip some water into the little bucket"

"Ok!!"

Falco watched mildly as she attended her tasks, slowly he walked around the Arwing, aside from the damage to the port wing it was unscathed, the Behemoth's mechanics didn't seem to have had their way with it too much.

"Here you go!" Caprice cried, again Falco jumped.

"Thanks" Falco took the things from her and went to climb the ladder into the cockpit, he paused and put the things down again. "Caprice, would you like to give the outside of my sparrow a bath?" it couldn't hurt

"Yeah!!" She cried, looking from him to the ship and back again. Falco walked to her side and pointed at the nose of the ship "Just clean the metal bits" he pointed at one of the moving parts "not these bits"

"But they're all dirty" She said referring to the grease

"They're meant to be like that. Touch it" Falco said softly. Caprice looked uncertain, so Falco reached out to touch it himself "Go on, it's ok see"

Standing on one leg Caprice reached up and put her foot in the grease.

"How does it feel?"

"Slippery" She answered hopefully

"Exactly, that's what helps the parts move, if you washed those bits they wouldn't slide over one another so well."

"oh!" Caprice said, seemingly enthralled with her new knowledge.

"Just do the nose and then tell me when you're done, I'm going to clean the cockpit, I made a bit of a mess last time I flew"

"Ok!" she said grinning. Falco left her slopping water about and climbed the ladder into the cockpit. She couldn't do any harm, provided she didn't stick her beak up the torpedo launchers.

Falco gazed into the cockpit. For a moment he wanted to be sick, it looked as though someone had been murdered in there. Someone could have traced every move he'd made from the smears of blood all over the various controls. It made his head ache just to look at it. He tried not to think about it as he set to work clearing up the mess. Numbly he was aware Krystal was watching, though she said nothing.

Salty waved at him, giggling. Lupus and Blaze stood grinning, Lupus holding two fingers up behind Blaze's head until he noticed and put him in a playful headlock, Silver looked at him coyly, smiling, and even Tyson grinned at him, seemingly with new respect and welcoming friendship in his eyes.

"Falco! Falco! Are you alright?" Caprice stood at the side of the cockpit staring in at him "Friad said he was worried about you..."

Falco stared at the photograph pinned under one of the displays, the figures motionless once again.

"We CloudRunner cry too..." She said softly "You're not so different from us"

Falco turned to gaze at her unable to speak as his breaths came in shudders. Caprice reached out and touched his face with her wing surprisingly gently. "I cry when it hurts, my body and..." she nodded her beak at her chest "in here"

Falco squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his head.

"Where does it hurt for you?"

"...Everywhere. But mostly here" Falco tapped his own chest his eyes still closed.

"Poor little fledge" she said softly. She looked into the cabin, at the photo that had made its way into Falco's hands "She's beautiful" She said pointing at Silver with her beak.

"Yes, she was"

Caprice looked him in the eye for a moment, then brushed his face with her wing again "Do not cry fledgling, your friends would not want you too. Look at them, they are laughing at you"

Falco wondered if she understood what a photo was, nevertheless he was comforted. For a moment he looked at the picture, there were bloody finger prints on the edges, he couldn't remember holding it before. He shook his head and repined it back under the screen. For a moment Falco looked at the other photo he carried in the cabin, no-where obvious, Fox would laugh if he knew, but Falco had always carried it in the cockpit with him. Falco gazed at his and Slippy's eight year old selves, at Fox's ten year old stance, he'd turned into a teenager early, even for a citizen of the Federation. Even Peppy looked younger in it, their very first team photo. Sighing he pinned it next to the other one, he'd never have to worry about Fox seeing it again, that team didn't exist anymore. Falco went back to his cleaning, listening to Caprice's happy chatter.

Falco sat on the edge of the roof of the CloudRunner fortress, his legs dangling down the side. For once his mind was quiet and he was content just to sit and watch the sun go down. He knew he wouldn't be on Dinosaur Planet much longer, Fox was nearly there. His eyes growing heavy he watched the orange glow sink beneath the mountains of the fragment of the planet. He smiled to himself, all the laws of science said this shouldn't be possible, yet he was still sat here, breathing and watching the sun set. The Krazoa must count for something he supposed. The sounds of birdsong on their final evening crescendo and the chattering of Cathy, the baby CloudRunner that had again joined him for the evening, perching on a ledge a little away from him reached his ears. The air smelt of spring flowers, water and distantly of trees that surrounded the palace.

"_Your friend takes his time" _

Falco nearly fell off the roof

"_Krystal! You frightened me!" _

Krystal only laughed

"_I wish Fox would hurry up, it's really starting to get cramped in here"_

"_I've done everything I can to speed it up, if I could go after the Krazoa sprits myself I would. We just have to be patient, and trust in Foxy. Hell both our lives are weighing on it. I wish he would hurry too, but he's never been as fast as me"_

"_You are vain Lombardi" _

"_No, Fox has strength where I have speed. With that staff of yours he could lift me from my feet and throw me across the room, and he regularly did. He needed someone to practice on when he was learning..." _Falco paused_ "Fox's strength was in his muscles and armed combat; he wasn't gifted with much of a brain._" He chuckled briefly_ "Slippy's was his mechanics, can fix just about anything he can, and in water, he could hold his breath for 5 minutes comfortably, 7 without any damage. I was lucky to hold mine for 3... Peppy's strength is in his mind, sharp intelligence and cunning, Peppy can get you out of a fight without ever firing a shot. Mine lies in speed, stealth and ranged attacks. Hand to hand with a SharpClaw I could not win. Our bones are light, fragile and easily broken, as Mitoc and Slytir discovered to their glee...With me the enemy is usually dead before they even know I'm there. Avions are built to run, not fight." _

"_Don't you mean for flight?" _

"_No Avion can fly" _

"_Then you envy the CloudRunner?" _

"_Yes, more than you can ever know. My wish to fly made me a social outcast. Many Avions fear what they are." _

"_Then what do you fear Lombardi? If you are so different from the rest of your kin"_

"_I am not so different. All Avions fear drowning..." _Falco shuddered _"I fear small spaces... being trapped... ugh... never again... What about you Krystal?"_

"_I'm not scared of anything!" _

Falco laughed _"You sound exactly like Fox. We're all scared of something... even if we don't know what that is... it might not even be what we expect... I'm scared of losing the people... I... care about..." _

"_Like Peppy?"_

Falco felt fear of the idea rip through him for a moment.

"_Yes. He's my foster father...He raised me when I was little better than an orphan... I'd rather him than my real father any day."_

"_What happened?" _

"_That's in one of the parts I blocked off. None of your business really... but, let's just say we didn't get along so well, my father and I" _

"_Oh."_

"_Despite how you might see it I wouldn't have it any other way. I feel safe with him. We used to get funny looks, especially when we were younger. We... were a strange family... but family nevertheless... I threw all that away"_

"_Then you're an idiot" _

"_I know..."_

"_Some people don't realise how lucky they are. You got to throw away _2_ families..."_

"_Well what about you Krystal?" _Falco asked angrily, Krystal seemed oblivious to how much she had hurt him with her words; either that or she didn't care.

"_My family are gone... along with my world, thanks to Andross" _

"_We all lost someone to Andross, which war, the first or the second?"_ Falco asked in the cold way that was customary to all living in the Federation at the time.

"_The third. This one. I don't know what they did... it all happened so quickly. One day, maybe a year ago now, my home world was attacked. It was all over in a week... the cities... everything, was left in ruins. My family were gone. I managed to jump ship. I got on a cargo transport and it brought me here, to your Federation" _

"_What do you mean _your _Federation?"_

"_My home world was far beyond the boundaries of the Lylat Federation... Since then I've been wandering the universe trying to sort out other planet's problems and trying to find out what really happened. That's how I ended up here. When I arrived I knew I was drawing close."_

"_Why do you say it was Andross who destroyed your world?"_

"_Because I saw him" _

Falco was so stunned he couldn't answer for a long time _"You what?"_

"_I saw him, on my home world. We'll not him exactly, sort of... like his spirit, vile as it is. I think that was why they attacked my world; somehow it let them recover his spirit... I don't know... but I've had a long time to think about it while I've been stuck in here and that's the only thing that fits. I saw him again just before I got locked in here, getting off a shuttle, then hiding behind some pillar... I didn't know his name was Andross then or all the things he'd done..."_

"_That guy just won't fuck the hell off... Fox will be pissed." _Falco thought to himself more than Krystal

"_Was that true... what you said about Fox's family?" _

"_Yes, all of it"_

"_Shame... I guess Fox and I have something in common" _

"_You and a million others across the Federation. Fox was lucky he had Peppy to watch over him" _

"_So is he Fox's..." _

"_Foster father as well? Yes, and Slippy's, but none of us see it like that exactly, he's our friend, teacher, mentor and more... he can read us like a book, well me at least."_

"_Why the hell did he take you on so young then, surely you were nothing to do with him."_

"_No, I have my mother to thank for that... she got me into Star Fox. Best thing they ever did for me" _

"_But why'd he take you when he could have had the pick of all the pilots coming out of the academy?"_

"_Sympathy vote I suppose... besides you don't get many Avions going through the Cornerian Flight Academy. Most of us who want to be pilots are dead before we reach 14. "_

"_Why?"_

"_Social...issues... Anyway, who having been through 3 years of academy training wants to throw it away by joining a gang of mercenaries. Especially a group like ours. The ones who really pissed Andross off. It's like hanging a sign around your neck that says "I don't value my life, please blow me up". Why join Star Fox when you can fly with Husky and Bulldog units over Katina, or Condor squadron patrolling the borders? A nice steady pay packet and a lot less chance of seeing dangerous work. They get paid for sitting around for months waiting to be scrambled. If we don't find work we starve. Star Fox would have been fairly low on most people's lists." _

"_So Peppy took you on, as a child, into a life that was that dangerous?"_

"_What makes you think my life on Avion was safe? Likelihood was if he hadn't taken me I would never have seen my ninth birthday. He saved my life, I'm certain of that. Besides Peppy wouldn't have let anything happen to us that could have been avoided. He was very protective of the three of us..." _Falco paused _"there's nothing scarier than Peppy on a rampage. It takes a lot, but you really don't want to risk getting on his bad side" _

"_So how do I avoid this, just in case I run into him on a dark night?"_

Falco smiled to himself_ "mm... I doubt you'd do anything to really piss him off... if you did you'd have both of us after you... Lets just say the last guy isn't around any more."_

"_And this is the person you feel safest with?"_

"_It was a war. Pigma deserved what he got. I did exactly the same thing to Mitoc; only difference was it was a gun, not a knife"_

"_Runs in the family then?" _

Falco had to think about that comment. He'd never really looked at it like that before.

"_Why are you doing this?" _Krystal asked after a pause.

"_You have to carry on for the living. That's why I'm here"_ Peppy had told him that. He had been holding it in his heart a lot for the last few days. _"If I don't it will cost even more lives"_

"_A few more deaths because of you will hardly make any difference" _She said coldly.

"_One life saved makes all the difference to its owner. One life saved is worth a million scars. I forfeited my right to live a long time ago, while I still have breath in me I intend to try and do what's right"_

"_Even if that means more killing?" _

"_We are soldiers, fighting a war; you should know that by now. Sometimes a few must die for the good of the rest. If that means me...So be it" _

"_Of all the minds in the universe I could be bonded to I get a suicidal bird!" _

"_I'm not going to do anything stupid while I'm attached to you so you can stop worrying about that. I may not be the easiest person to get a long with but I am doing my best to help you. I'm sorry if my best isn't good enough for you, but you're already taking everything I have to offer"_

"_Which isn't much" _

"_I know that. But you should remember it's all that's keeping you alive. There's a very fine line between life and death" _Falco's voice turned bitter _"and some people know how to keep you tottering on the brink for a long time, in the rift where there is no life, no death, only pain. You should be glad that is not where you dwell now. Had I not helped, you would be there now or at least approaching it" _

"_Men have no idea about pain"_

Falco laughed _"Take one look around my mind and you will see that is not always true. We are capable of knowing just as much agony, both physically and emotionally as you" _

"_Men are wimps"_

"_Everyone breaks just the same, male or female, more quickly than even I could believe possible." _

"_But you're a wimp Lombardi" _

"_I'd rather be a wimp than let my heart go cold" _

"_Dark and cold. Seems a good combination Dark One"_

Falco bristled _"Stop calling me that!" _

"_Why should I, I think the Krazoa got it right. It sums you up just right" _

"_And what the hell should I call you purple bitch? Ungrateful arrogant rude sadist..." _Falco's rage boiled _"You're worse than Fox. You'll never understand. Once this is over I don't ever want to see you again." _

"_What makes you think I would want to hang around you? Fox might not like that though, he seems to like me, if you asked him to choose I wonder which way his opinion would sway. I wouldn't rate _your_ chances very highly. I don't know how he put up with you for as long as he did. No wonder your parents got rid of you"_

Falco's mind exploded with rage. He found the worst images from his memories, the beatings, the rejection, the bullies, and the StreetRunner girl who got run-over in front of him and threw them at Krystal's mind. All his anger and pain. Krystal shrieked briefly before Falco bottled up his emotions again and dragged the memories back, he'd never really let them go; somehow he thought that wouldn't have been good for her. Krystal seemed more stunned than anything. The procedure was the mental equivalent of a punch in the face.

"_I-hate-you"_

Krystal was silent for a moment while she recovered herself.

"_Come on Dark One is that really the best you can do? Feral Mangy RedEye Lombardi... that Avion guy got it right" _

"_Fuck you Krystal!" _

"_Yeah that's another thing Lombardi. How'd you ever get to 16 with no proper girlfriends, you gay or just frigid?" _Krystal laughed cruelly _"Fox wouldn't want you. I don't think _anyone_ would ever want _you_"_

Falco was so angry he couldn't bring himself to say anything, all he wanted to do was hurt Krystal, he knew he could, if he wanted to he could destroy her mind with pain, like they had to him, but he knew that was wrong. No-one deserved that, even her.

"_Come on Lombardi? I'm right aren't I?" _

"_I'm not gay" _

"_Oh, no girl ever wanted you then. Can't say I'm surprised" _

"_I haven't seen an Avion girl for a long time. I'm not the type that jumps into bed with anyone, unlike you obviously. Not that it's your business anyway. Only a slag walks around in clothes like yours. Fox can do much better than the likes of you."_

"_But not you Lombardi"_

"_I'd rather be alone than be reduced to the likes of you"_

"_Then you'll always be alone"_

Krystal knew how to twist the knife.

"_You get used to it after sixteen years. I learned that you're often better off alone. That way the only one you have to look out for is yourself. No-one can turn their back on you... if you turn... away... first."_

Falco couldn't believe he'd just said that, he sounded as though he was nine again. It had taken Peppy years to stop him believing that.

"_People are only alone because they're horrible. They deserve what they get." _

"_Not everyone, Krystal. _You're alone._"_

"_No I'm not" _

"_You are, except for me" _Falco sighed _"And I won't be around much longer. When we part we will _both_ be alone again" _

"_I won't. I can be with anyone I want. As I said McCloud seems to like me" _

"..." Falco sighed _"Good luck to you then, if you can make him happy"_

Krystal laughed _"Whatever makes you think I want the likes of Fox? That I want to make him _happy_? Ugh... it might be fun to play with him for a while, but come on, why the hell would I want a mangy little whelp like him?"_

Falco felt his anger build _"Don't toy with his emotions. He doesn't deserve it." _

"_Why shouldn't I? If he's dumb enough to play along" _

"_Fox doesn't deserve it. He's only trying to help you. Thank him and bugger off on your way rather than giving him any false ideas" _

"_I don't know why you care so much Lombardi. McCloud obviously doesn't give a shit about you. Otherwise you wouldn't be in the mess your in now" _

"_The mess I'm in is of my own making and yours"_

Krystal laughed _"McCloud wouldn't worry about you half as much as you do about him" _

"... _maybe so"_

"_I bet he doesn't miss you in the slightest" _

"_No... but"_

"_He threw you out didn't he?" _

"_Yeah...bu-" _

"_See. They all hate you" _

"_Leave me alone Krystal..."_

"_They don't want you back either"_

"_I'm tired Krystal. Leave me alone for a while to get some sleep" _

"_Lazy" _

"_You don't do anything _but_ sleep Krystal"_

"_What else can I do trapped in here?"_

"_Frankly I don't care so long as it doesn't involve me. Stay out of my head." _

Falco lifted all the mental defences he could muster before dragging himself into the blankets on the roof and curling into a ball. Seeking a comforting voice, to push away Krystal's cruel words he turned to his comm.

"Slippy, you there?" Falco asked wearily

"Yes, hey Falco what's up?"

"Nothing, I just needed to hear a friendly voice"

"Oh..." Slippy had never heard him say anything like that before; at least not to him "You ok Falc'?"

"Mm..." Falco answered as though he was half asleep "How's Foxy doing?"

"Err... He's ok; he's over at the Walled City again-"

"The EarthWalker place?"

"Yeah, that's right..."

"Did he free the CloudRunner from Dragon Rock?" Falco asked sounding suddenly more awake.

"Yes, Falco how did you know about that?"

"I know his father. He will be pleased to hear he's safe" Falco groaned heavily, a shiver of pain running through his body "Tell Fox to get his skates on..."

"Why the hurry Falc'?" Slippy questioned.

"Just remind him of that bonus"

"Aright..."

"Goodnight Slippy"

"Goodnight Falco, sweet dreams"

Falco laughed down the comm. "Yeah, right"

Before Slippy could think to question his words Falco cut the comm.

Again Falco dreamed, although Krystal's presence steered him away from the mutually painful. He dreamt a strange dream, of memories not his own. Everything seemed to be immersed in a purple glow. He dreamt of rain and the distant rumble of thunder. Then things changed. The team were on a beach, the four of them, the shore where the waves lapped lowly against faintly brown sand seemed to be strewn with enormous purple jellyfish, their long tentacles spread out behind them. Then it seemed monkeys were playing amongst the bodies, jumping on the jellyfishes so that their liquid innards spread out across the shore. All of a sudden Falco was alone, the world seemed to be filling up with the liquefied bodies of the jellyfish, Falco was floating in a blue mist. Suddenly an image of Fox standing by his Arwing at Krazoa palace, his fur already sodden from the rain, his eyes glowing purple.

Falco snapped awake.

"_Friad! Where's Fox?" _Falco shouted with his mind

"_What? Calm down child-"_

"_Where do the younglings say he is?"_

"_Hush, hush child, he is safe enough" _

"_But _where _is he?" _Falco persisted.

There was a pause.

"_The younglings say he has just landed at Krazoa palace" _

"_What? He has the fifth Krazoa already?"_

"_Yes. He completed the Test of Knowledge first time... clever boy. He is going to release the Krazoa"_

In any other situation Falco would have laughed at the idea of Fox being clever.

"_Where's Scales?" _

"_He too is at Krazoa Palace. Fox will go to face him once he releases the Krazoa-" _

"_Then its time for me to leave." _Falco dragged himself up

"_What, leave? For where?" _

"_To wait for Andross to be revived, I have to watch over the battle just in case Fox screws up" _

"Falco you can't move" Friad said coming up onto the roof.

"I have to, Fox is nearly there, once Andross is released he'll need all the help he can get!"

The old CloudRunner put his wing on Falco's back "Fox has beaten him before, the best thing you can do is stay put. Krystal's draining you like a leach. Fox will win again"

"Fox is my friend; I'm not going to let him face Andross alone, that's the mistake I made last time!"

Falco struggled to stand, helplessly Friad offered him a wing in support, afraid he might fall from the roof.

"You're sure Scales has the last Krazoa?" Falco asked

"Yes. I was there"

"Ok... take me to my ship"

"Do you think that's wise?"

"I have to be out there ready to stop Andross in case Fox slips up" Falco said walking off determined. Friad followed him.

"What if your strength doesn't return when Krystal is released?"

"How hard is it to push a few buttons, drop a few bombs?"

"Don't toy with me Falco, I may never have left this lump of rock but I know it's not that easy"

"I'll manage"

"Falco, even without Krystal you shouldn't be flying, you're sick"

"No I'm not!"

"Falco I'm not one of your monsters, I'm not going to eat you the moment you show any weakness, you don't have to hide from me"

Falco sighed deeply and put his hand against one of the cool stone walls. Friad tapped his beak on Falco's chest. "I can't let you go up there if it's only as good as suicide... I know you didn't care much before... but for my sake if not yours I can't let you do that... I hoped we'd moved on from there... Once Andross is beaten where will you go?"

"Next mission"

"Like this?" he asked concerned

"If I must" Falco said sadly

"You can't just keep going until you drop from exhaustion..."

"If I stop the memories come back..." Falco said weakly his eyes wet.

"What happened on the Behemoth was _not_ your fault, you can't keep blaming yourself, and though it's painful to accept nothing you do, no matter how hard you work you won't bring your squad back"

Falco faltered, Friad barely caught him.

"Working yourself into an early grave won't help anyone. You need time to heal. Stay here if you can't face Fox and Peppy. We will look after you, I will. Until you are capable of looking after yourself again..."

"I can look after myself!" He said straitening

"I'm sure you can, but do you _want _to? Especially once Krystal no-longer needs you"

Falco stared, Friad had him trapped. Finally he spoke "My duty now is to Fox."

"Duty... " Friad shook his head. Falco staggered off and he followed. "I've ruined you child..." He said quietly to himself.

"I can't let him face Andross alone... I won't. First rule of the Star Fox team- we never leave anyone still breathing behind..."

"You didn't break that rule Falco"

Falco paused briefly, then carried on walking.

Friad watched him sadly as he climbed back into his Arwing. Falco looked thoughtfully around the cabin. The photo of Silver and the rest stuck under one of the displays looked back at him. It still had his bloody fingerprints on the edge. He hadn't been able to get all the blood off the controls either. Falco did his best to relax into the familiar cockpit. The seat seemed to dig against his bones more than he remembered. His crippled hand seemed to have stuck in just the right shape for the controls or the handle of his gun. Perfect for dealing out more death. Sighing he prepared to do what he must, and put the thoughts of pain and fear aside. Sadly he turned to look down on Friad.

"I'll try to come back and visit"

"You will always be welcome with our tribe Falco. I would be glad to see you again, and we can finish what we started"

Falco smiled down briefly at him, then closed the canopy. The Arwing's engine roared into life. Friad didn't back away as the ship lifted into the air. Falco turned as the bay doors were opened for him. He pulled the lever to turn on the cloak. Friad watched the ship shimmer and disappear. Falco had taken the lessons on stealth to heart, even if that meant hiding from friends. The light that flooded the bay hurt Falco's eyes for a moment, then he boosted forward up into the sky. As he climbed away towards the dark edge of space Falco heard Friad's voice in his mind one last time...

"_Take care child. Return to me if you have need, but you will be better off with your friends... I urge you to return to them. Go home to where you belong."_

Falco couldn't answer him, he had nothing to say and he was too tired to respond. He could now feel himself growing weaker by the hour. He pulled his ship into a suitable position. Just off the escape trajectory from Krazoa Palace, he tried to settle to wait for what he knew and feared was coming.

"_Your friend definitely doesn't do anything fast"_

"_I wish he would. I'm getting kinda sick of you"_

"_I can assure you the feeling is mutual"_

"_I'll be so glad to cut you loose when the Krazoa are finished using you like a piece of wire" _

"_So what happens then?" _Krystal asked a little uneasily

"_I cut you off and never have to put up with you again"_

"_Will I still feel this crap?" _

"_I don't think so. The Krazoa will give _you_ your strength back. Me, I have to suffer this a little longer. There will be no magical return to full strength for me. I have to wait for my body to heal normally"_

"_Oh..." _

"_Yeah so you can shut up complaining. Just let me know when Fox turns up ok?"_

"_Alright" _

Sadly Falco watched Great Fox drift across the sky in the distance. He was so close... but he couldn't go back...

"What's going on? You said this would save her!" Fox cried running towards Krystal and the Krazoa.

"_He's here. The last spirit has been released. They're-"_

Falco woke from a state where he was almost sleeping. The Krazoa were doing their thing. They used Krystal as they needed to, her strength returned and they released her.

"_Goodbye Krystal" _Falco said and cut the link.

"Wake up... wake up!" Fox shouted, snatching a glance at the Krazoa statue. Krystal remained mostly still. "Noooo!!" The crystal holing her shattered and she fell.

Falco armed the weapons, aware of the increasingly strong signal on his scanners, Andross' signal.

Fox caught Krystal on the staff and reached down to help her up. For the first time she got a good look at him. He was exactly like she had imagined, the way Falco had said he would be.

"I am reborn, the mighty Krazoa god. Kneel all those that stand before me"

Laughter that was oddly familiar shattered the air. Fox felt all the hair on his body stand on end...

"We will never kneel to you" Krystal shouted defiantly.

Fox looked doubtfully down at the staff and put it on his back.

"Give me that!" Krystal grabbed her staff off Fox

So that was where it had come from.

"Hey, wait!... Well thanks for nothing. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be standing here at all"

Fox didn't know the half of it.

"My staff... You're back!" Krystal mumbled, ignoring him.

Krystal turned and started to shoot up into the sky at the giant floating... head? How ridiculous! This mission was just getting stupid. Fox frowned at her. That staff, it was like a house and a pea shooter. Fox backed away and ran for his Arwing.

Falco watched Andross leave the planet's surface. He sped past him only a few hundred metres away, completely oblivious to his presence. The way it should be.

"_Thanks Salty" _Falco thought to himself, suddenly aware there was now no-one there to listen to him. Falco felt sick as he watched Fox speed up in hot pursuit of Andross. He wanted to pop back into his field of vision, say "hi", and a million other things... fly by his side... but he couldn't. If Fox could deal with it on his own he would. Falco was there as a last resort. Mildly he tuned in on their radio frequency.

"I've been looking forward to this day, to see you again, Fox McCloud" The head turned round to reveal the monkey face of Andross.

"Andross!!" Fox said stunned.

"_Come on Fox how slow can you get?" _Falco thought to himself.

"And now to destroy the Lylat System!!" Andross cried.

"I've got to stop him!" Fox told himself, not realising Falco had his comm. tapped.

The battle went ok for a while. Falco's hands on the controls flinched every time Fox took a hit. Falco scanned him continuously. He didn't have any bombs. Fox continued to talk to himself.

"I shot you in the head... how the hell did you manage to come back?... Come on Foxy we have to beat him!" Fox barrel rolled to repel Andross' fire and prepared to try and fight back against Andross trying to swallow him again. "Why do I always end up fighting against this guy on my own? Where are you Peppy and Slippy?" That comment hurt Falco most... had Fox given up on him?

"...Where are you Falco... you'd love this, seeing me get my ass kicked-" That was it. Falco powered towards Fox's ship. Locked a bomb onto Andross and cut the cloak. Then he fired.

"Hey McCloud, different time, different planet and you _still_ need Falco's help... It's good to see ya buddy..."

Of all the things he could of said, why that?

Peppy stared at the familiar signal on the scanners.

"Falco?" he asked Slippy

"Yes" Slippy said, significantly less surprised.

"Slippy patch me through!"

Slippy clicked some buttons. The battle raged on before Peppy's eyes.

"Hurry up Slippy!"

"I'm trying, I can't get it through. The signal's blocked!"

Falco was aware Great Fox was trying to contact him. He'd blocked the channel. He couldn't deal with talking to Peppy, especially whilst fighting Andross. He banked his Arwing around again to drop Fox off a bomb and get in a few shots of his own. The urge for revenge was as much his now as Fox's. But this was still Fox's fight, not his.

"How can you do this to me Falco?!" Peppy shouted as Slippy continued to struggle with the comm. Slippy felt sick, if Peppy knew what he'd done. He had to get a line through. Then Peppy watched Andross explode, six purple streaks shot form his head. Both Arwings fled away, they were coming towards the ship. Peppy held his breath, watching, willing them closer. Then the thing he had dreaded happened. Falco pulled his Arwing away and disappeared into the blast wave. When it cleared he was gone. Falco watched Fox pause, and pull away from the docking bay.

"I know I didn't dream it that time... Where'd you go Falco?" Fox asked over the comm.

Falco didn't respond. He hovered a little way away from the ship, hiding behind Salty's cloak. He watched the pieces of the planet reassemble themselves, watched Fox go quickly back to Krazoa palace to look for Krystal.

"Thanks anyway Falco" Fox said to himself and took his ship in to dock.

"_You're welcome old friend"_

Falco turned his Arwing and pulled away from Dinosaur Planet and Great Fox... It was over now...

"_I wanna go home..." _

Falco watched the shuttle come up from the planet and made up his mind, he just couldn't do it.

"_I am going home... at last... I'm going home..." _


	5. Part 5: Retribution

Part 5:

RETRIBUTION 

"_Carry on for the living..." _

"Scales said the war was just beginning... I didn't realise how right he was" Fox mumbled.

There was silence. Falco still trembled slightly, but he'd been calmer for the last little while as he'd listened to Peppy and Fox's recollections of the battle. It had taken a long time to coax most of the story out of him and he'd had to keep going back when he remembered little details he'd left out, but he knew he hadn't said everything; he'd left some things out on purpose. The occasional input by the others had given him valuable breathing space and helped him understand parts of what had happened that had previously been a mystery to him. Now he looked dazed around the room as though seeing it for the first time. Throughout the tale Peppy and Falco had both relived terrible chapters of their lives, and even General Pepper had been seen to flinch a few times. Now an oppressive silence filed the air as they all struggled to comprehend the seriousness of what Falco had been involved in. It hadn't occurred to anyone that Dinosaur Planet and the Behemoth might have been connected. Fox gazed at Falco, seeing him in a new light. Falco stared at the floor, kneading his hands, desperately trying to stop himself shaking, unable to look at the team for fear he would totally lose control. Peppy was battling with rage like he had only ever felt towards one person before, if he lost control there could be murder... there had been last time. When he looked up he realised the team probably needed the calm Peppy more than the angry one, and put his rage aside for now. Even so he was at a loss for words. The silence was all that seemed appropriate. Slippy looked even more green than usual, as though he was going to be sick, Falco looked like death, Fox looked as though he'd been hit over the head. Peppy couldn't bring himself to look at Pepper for fear he'd lose control of his anger. Still the silence continued, but for the constant rumbling of Great Fox's engines, it was becoming oppressive, someone needed to say something, anything.

"Even without the SpellStones the Behemoth is a force to be reckoned with, they'll act on their plans even without them and Andross, if you're going to organise another counter strike you have to do it now" It was Falco who spoke, his voice devoid of all apparent emotion, he continued to look at the floor. "Before they get a chance to attack."

"What do you suggest?" Pepper asked. Peppy's head snapped up. How could he dare to ask that after all they'd just listened to? He was furious, he stared darkly at him, but Pepper either didn't notice, or was ignoring him. Falco's hands balled into fists.

"Our attack would have worked if you hadn't sold us out. Frankly if I wasn't afraid of what the Behemoth can do I wouldn't be helping you at all." Falco looked up for the first time "I'd like nothing more than to leave you and your sodding government wallowing in the mess you've made." Falco paused for a moment; he thought he should feel angry, instead he felt nothing, just numb.

Fox looked at Peppy; his eyes asked "I'm not going to stop him, are you?" Peppy's slight smile said no, instead it almost said:

"Go Falco!"

"Also _sir_ I think you and whatever other commander it was that pulled the Angels is a complete tactical idiot. You screwed up our best chance of beating the Behemoth! You're all a bunch of snivelling cowards sending a group of kids to do your dirty work." Falco didn't look angry, at least not nearly as angry as Peppy thought he had a right to be. He sighed "But... it seems you at least did your best for us... and that's all any of us can do... and I knew the risk I was taking when I took that mission." he trailed off and looked at the floor again "this time you'll need to send several strike teams, overwhelm them, so they can't possibly stop them all. They hadn't worked out the cloak when I left and I didn't leave enough of the Shuttle or Tyson's Arwing intact for them to carry on their research." His voice choked slightly "There are several reactor cores in there, blow enough of the larger ones and you'll set off a chain reaction that should blow it to the other side of the Federation..." Falco stopped and continued to look at the floor "you'll need lots of teams this time, because they'll know what to expect..."

Pepper nodded "You still think that will work?"

"It was the only option we had then, and it's still the only option we have now." Falco growled impatiently.

"Since you left we've been fitting the fleet with cloaks, what should we do with them?"

Falco looked up weary anger in his eyes "Do what you bloody well like! You're the general, that's what you get paid to decide. You can't possibly fuck it up any worse than you did last time!!"

It was clear from Pepper's face he was not used to being spoken to like that, but mercifully he stayed silent. Falco stared darkly at him for a moment, stood shakily then left the room. If he could have slammed the door behind him he would have. Fox waited until he'd gone before exploding

"For fuck's sake, couldn't that have waited?" Fox's face was drawn and pale, but his eyes burned with rage.

"Things like this cannot wait." Pepper said with forced patience.

"Are you deaf, stupid or just a heartless old asshole? Didn't you hear everything he just said, didn't you see him, you could have at least given him a while to calm down! You cruel bastard!"

"Do not speak to me like that Fox McCloud"

"Why the hell shouldn't I? What you going to do, you can't throw me out, you're on our ship! And we're certainly not members of _your_ Army, and none of us are stupid enough to ever consider that now after seeing how you treat your soldiers. Are they _all _expendable or was Falco just lucky? You know what; I don't give a fuck, so long as you don't ever get you hands on anyone I care about again!" Fox laughed bitterly "You can't do much more harm than you already have!"

Peppy could see Fox shaking, but it wasn't with rage now.

"Easy Foxy" he soothed softly.

Fox took a deep breath and composed himself a little "Please leave us alone for a while. I trust you can find your own way to the guest rooms?"

Pepper nodded, stood and took himself away. Once he was gone Fox's shoulders shrugged and his whole being seemed to shrink, and Peppy was reminded of the 8 year old he had once been, standing alone in the middle of the common room. It was Slippy's voice having been quiet since Falco had finished his story that broke through the silence.

"How can they do that to a person?" he asked shakily "How do they sleep at night?" his voice broke. "The... m-monsters!" Slippy spat seeming to want something more fitting "Fucking evil Monsters!!" He shouted, then retched visibly.

"You said it Slip'" Fox mumbled "But don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them, we'll make sure of that"

"Yeah" Slippy nodded grimly his hands making fists, up until now Peppy had always wondered if he was capable of hatred. Now he knew. When he looked back to Fox he was surprised to see him crying, for years Peppy had never seen him cry.

"Fox..." Peppy started to say, Slippy, no longer able to draw courage from his leader also failed to sobs.

"Why...?" Slippy asked simply. Peppy felt his own eyes brim at his words. The youthful innocence of a child, battling to keep that innocence in an evil world. A world Peppy had introduced him into. Peppy just found himself wrapping his arms around each of their shoulders and they were untied in their pain.

General Pepper stared around the windowless guest room. Though it was plain and purely functional it was not without character. Most of the furnishings were old, once having belonged to one member of the team or the other, though Pepper knew all evidence of Pigma had been stripped from the ship years ago. Charles Pepper found many of the objects in the room oddly familiar and felt that they gave the room a homely feeling; they made the occupant feel welcome. One of the handles on the wardrobe was missing, the bathroom taps were wonky and the bed creaked when he sat on it, just like back home. Charles let his head rest in his hands and gave way to the tide of images trying to flood across his mind. He'd always been told not to get emotionally attached to his soldiers, but...

Fox lay on his back staring up at the ceiling. Today he thought had to have been one of the worst in his life; it was on a par with the day his father had died, or his mother. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then went back to staring at the ceiling. As he lay there he wondered about the people Falco had talked about, Mitoc and Slytir, the one that was still alive somewhere, he'd fix that soon enough. He wondered if after a day at "work" they went home and played with children, read them bedtime stories and kissed their wives goodnight. He wondered if they heard the screams of their victims in their dreams... and if they enjoyed hearing them. He sighed; he supposed everyone was capable of great kindness, and great cruelty. He could see it in himself, and his friends. Peppy had only ever been kind to him... but he'd mercilessly slaughtered his enemies, namely Pigma, not that he didn't deserve everything he got. He saw it in himself; he could remember his more noble acts of kindness and, looking back on it, acts of little more than cruelty he would rather forget. He growled to himself. There was no way to justify the things those monsters had done... to a girl, it made him furious, men like that didn't deserve to be men. What they'd done to Salty, he was little more than a child... it wasn't justified, it was playing dirty. Fox couldn't express how angry he was, he just wanted revenge against all those who had hurt his... friend.

Peppy felt lost... lost like he hadn't felt for years, not since James and Hannah had died or his parents. He felt as though he had no-one to turn to, no-one would understand how this felt. The new nightmares and the reawakened ones. If anything this was worse, watching someone else suffer, knowing their pain, and also knowing there was little he could do to ease it, watching the ripples of what had happened spread out and hurt others in turn, all people he cared about, and being able to do nothing other than offer a shoulder to cry on. He was angry at the world and its cruel injustice, it seemed the good were destined to suffer the most; those who knew pain seemed only to be given more. For the first time in his life Peppy truly wished he'd never met Falco. That thought made him hurt all the more. It was his fault this had happened; maybe if he'd left him on Avion he would have been safe... Peppy frowned. That wasn't true either. Avion had been no safer for him than here, what his father had been doing was little better. Falco didn't seem to have much luck. Maybe the Star Fox team were cursed... Peppy sat staring up at the Common room ceiling, all the little ones had gone to bed, he'd checked on Falco and found him sleeping heavily, for once, and perhaps sensibly Pepper hadn't shown his face. Every time he closed his eyes he was on Venom, back in his own nightmare. He didn't count himself as a religious man, but he'd prayed that would never happen to anyone he cared about. He would hardly even wish it on his enemies, except those who had done it first... like Pigma. He sighed to himself, again thinking of how unfair life seemed to be... The sound of footsteps startled him from his thoughts; he looked up to see frankly the last person he wanted to. Charles had just entered the Common Room. Peppy groaned inwardly, he was _not_ in the mood to be sociable, towards him at least. He had hoped he would be sensible enough to realise that and keep out of the way.

"How you feeling Peppy?" Charles asked in what Peppy thought must have been meant to be a kind voice, to Peppy it only rubbed salt in open wounds. In his anger it seemed as though Charles got some malicious satisfaction out of asking. Peppy felt in no mood to mince his words.

"Pretty awful" no amount of words could express what he was feeling "I'm furious. I'd recommend that everyone involved in this keeps their heads low for a while, unless they want to loose them" Peppy growled, hinting "There are several Cornerian Officials whom I wouldn't mind if they just _disappeared_."

"Peppy come now that's-"

Peppy cut him off.

"Don't you think you can lecture me about morality" He snarled venomously "What you did to Falco was _no_ different to what Pigma did to James and I." Peppy sneered quietly "Falco seems to have forgiven you. But I swear to you, I never will. In my opinion you can go to hell for what you and your government put him through. Falco knows what its like, it's about time you found out too" Peppy looked darkly into his eyes for a moment then turned and walked away. Suddenly he paused and turned around again. The look on Peppy's face terrified Pepper "I'm not ashamed of what I did to Pigma" Peppy turned back and walked out of the room. Pepper was left staring after him. Throughout the conversation Peppy's voice had never risen above more than a venomous whisper. Pepper had never been frightened of him before, but as he stood in Great Fox's empty common room he could feel himself trembling, had Peppy just threatened him?... No... surely their friendship was worth more to him than that. He just stood there, not sure where to go or what to do with himself. He sank slowly into the sofa, bemused, and maybe just a little frightened. He and Peppy's friendship seemed as good as lost, having once been so close. He wished he could take the last few months back and try again; given the chance he was sure Peppy would too. Maybe they weren't so different. He sighed; Peppy would as good as sell his soul to make it better... He cared too much. Feeling old and worn, as Peppy had said he did he walked quietly back to the guest quarters.

Great Fox had never felt lonely to him before, but now as he stood gazing out of his window at the twinkling stars he felt terribly alone. His mind continued to drift to what the next days would bring, the inevitable. There would be more death, and many more would cry, but not as many as would if they failed. Falco knew he would have to go, but the thought of it made him feel sick. Nervousness twisted like a snake inside him, when he held up his hand by his face he could see it trembling. He shook his head and clamped his hands together. Sleep seemed to come and go in waves; he never seemed to get enough. He'd woken from blackness suddenly and been unable to return. He moved across his room silently, mildly imagining himself gliding like a ghost, haunting the ship, despite himself he laughed softly, it would be fun to haunt Fox. He perched on the edge of his bed, looking around the room lit only by starlight and the distant blue glow of Corneria; they'd dropped into orbit sometime during his story. He again stared out his window, at the stars; he'd always looked to them for guidance, somehow imagining the vastness of the universe made his problems seem less significant. He'd always loved the sky, perhaps a little more than he should have. He lay down, joining the dots to make his own patterns, he saw and Arwing, then a sailing ship, his school logo had been one of those, with that he drifted away...

"_Even if you do what is right, you can never make everyone happy" _

Falco lay in a dark place. He could hear Silver crying and someone struggling for breath. Maybe that was him, Falco couldn't tell anymore. The screaming broke the silence; Falco just wanted to bury his head in the ground and not hear it anymore. Footsteps came towards Falco's cell. Was it his turn again already? Or were they bringing another dead team mate?... It looked like the water bath again... maybe this time Mitoc would overestimate him and hold him under for too long... Falco's head was again plunged into the icy water...

He was alone. Blaze was gone. His sessions came more often now, now they had no-one else to _play_ with. The club, but Falco could barely see it now, his eyes were so bad. In it came...

Falco leapt up.

"Fuck off!!"

Sweating, cold, and breathing fast he scrutinized his room. His sheets were damp. Falco's heart filled with despair. The nightmares still hadn't gone away. At least it took less time to come round from them. Sighing he laid back down. When he closed his weary eyes he was back on the Behemoth. He forced them open again. He sat up and flung his covers off. He suddenly felt hot, the various pains were back. They hadn't hurt this much for a long time, maybe in telling the team he'd come to accept their presence and could no longer block them out. Even his hand hurt. He climbed slowly out of bed and rummaged around until he found the remnants of the med-kits Slippy had dropped him. There wasn't much left. Thoughtfully he fished out the painkillers and took the highest dose. He looked around rubbing at his hand, trying unsuccessfully to move his fingers. He wasn't going to get much sleep now; quietly he slipped out into the corridor.

Great Fox was silent, except for the constant hiss of the atmosphere recyclers and the rumble of the engines. Falco listened to his bare feet plod softly against the grey black carpet. The crew cabins lined one side of the corridor and quest quarters the other side, the not so nice ones, the ones without windows, in the centre of the ship. Falco walked slowly past Peppy's then Slippy's door, and further down the corridor towards the recreational areas. He wasn't sure where he was going, it just felt good to stretch his legs, Falco did a circuit of several decks then decided to return to the common room.

It was dark, except for the blue glow of Corneria in the window. Falco wandered over to look down on it. It was night on this side of Corneria. The lights from the almost constant cities sprawled across all the land sparked. As ever not a single cloud blocked his view. Falco lent thoughtfully against one of the walls and continued to stare out the wide window. They would cross the horizon in a few hours and dawn would come up, even so it never got sunny on Great Fox...

James looked him in the eye as they shoved him into one of the cells, sad frightened eyes, so unlike him, they made Peppy afraid. With a final push he fell into the prison. That was the last time Peppy ever saw him. He heard him for a long time afterwards, screaming, they never spoke, they only screamed, but the quiet that came later was worse, the whimpers, like a cornered animal, when James couldn't scream anymore. Then there was silence... and Peppy never heard his voice again.

Peppy sat up tears running down his face, shaking from head to tail.

"James... I let it happen again to one of our team... I did my best and history still repeated itself... What are we going to do?" he asked. Of course no-one responded. Peppy sighed sadly and rubbed his eyes. Slowly he climbed from his bed. He stood in his dressing gown staring round his room.

"Lights" he mumbled. The lights flickered and came on. He walked slowly towards a picture hung on one of the walls, his family, when he had been just a child, the fourth of seven surviving children... it felt like so long ago now... There were only six kids in the photo; Peppy's youngest brother hadn't been born when it was taken. They had been a big, happy family. Next to it hung a smaller image, Peppy's new family. The four of them stood together, in civilian clothing, on holiday, they were all laughing at something, Peppy couldn't remember exactly what, but it didn't matter. He'd never had children of his own, after Venom and Sarah left him he had given up, but by then he had had Fox to take care of, and it didn't seem to matter so much. He had stopped bothering to tell himself it wasn't too late. Peppy smiled at the picture. They might not be flesh and blood but to him that had never made any difference.

Peppy walked slowly into the common room. He was surprised to see the television flickering away. One of their old children's videos was playing with the sound down low. He could hear someone humming the tune to a familiar song from it. He walked slowly round to the side of the sofa. Falco jumped when he saw him.

"Sorry" Peppy said gently. Falco was wrapped up in his blankets with only his lopsided feet poking out the bottom.

"Peppy, what are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep" he said dropping into the chair by his side.

"What a coincidence, neither could I" Falco said turning back to the screen. They sat in silence for a moment, each knowing the reason why the other couldn't sleep, until Peppy spoke.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Falco pointed to a half full glass on the floor beside him "No thanks"

Peppy got up and disappeared into the kitchen at the back of the room. A few minutes later he returned with a mug of steaming coffee.

"Interesting choice for the middle of the night" Falco commented.

Peppy shrugged "Old habits die hard"

Falco smiled at him and allowed his eyes to follow him around the room. Finally he came and sat by his side. Falco looked at the floor for a moment, giving Peppy the impression he had something to say, he was just trying to find the right words. Falco switched the television off without looking up.

"Peppy... how did you survive, what did you hold on to?" Falco asked quietly looking at the floor. Peppy paused and smiled.

"Fox... and his mother, while she still lived. James and I always had an agreement that if anything should happen to him I would watch over Fox and Hannah, and in turn he would do the same for those I loved, should anything happen to me. When he died I took it as obvious that I should take care of them, I blamed myself for not bringing him home..." Peppy paused; he watched Falco swallow hard and curl deeper into his blankets. "I watched Fox's mother pine away after his father, that's something in the Canite nature. Though I did my best she slipped away from me and Foxy... She died a few months after her husband, leaving Fox and I to face the world together. He had uncles and aunts who offered to take him on but I could never see him being raised by anyone other than myself. I had always been part of his life, a second father, or an uncle. Deep down I needed him, we needed each other, we shared each others pain and helped one another through it. I couldn't let Andross beat me while Fox was depending on me. I had to be strong to look after him... There's nothing like a Canite 8 year old to keep you on your toes" Peppy smiled "Fox and I moved on together, however slowly, began a new life on Great Fox and dreamed of a bright future. I owe Fox more than he realises" Falco finally looked up at him. "When you and Slippy joined I felt just the same about you, I had a family, it was a bit... weird I admit, but a family nonetheless. I was so lost when you ran out. It was like a part of me wasn't there anymore... you can't know what a relief it was to have you home again."

"I can't tell you how sorry I am that I did that to you Peppy. I didn't mean to... things just didn't go exactly as I had planned" Falco managed to smile at him. Peppy just shrugged.

"They rarely do. Life would be boring if they did." Falco grinned but said nothing. He seemed to be thinking of something else.

"Peppy... was it wrong for me to cry out for you more than my mother?"

Peppy didn't have an answer for that. He'd had an answer for all the usual difficult questions before... but that wasn't exactly a normal question. He'd always found honesty to be the best policy.

"I don't know..." he said, but secretly he was flattered, and deeply touched.

"Sometimes when I looked at the guards I saw father... and how he used to do just the same things to me. Was he really no better than _them_?"

Peppy looked at Falco for a long time again unsure as to what to say.

"What hope have I got if my own flesh and blood was willing to do that?" Falco dropped his voice a little "The Krazoa were right. I am no better than Andross"

"Don't be stupid Falco. You are not your father. You are a _very _different person, your heart is as pure as anyone's, you just see things in a different way. If you didn't regret some of the things you did... that would be what would make you like Andross"

Falco shook his head. "The Krazoa accepted Fox. He does not carry as much innocent blood as me"

"The Krazoa only had your point of view to go on! What were they supposed to think while you were still grieving the team? You blamed yourself so the Krazoa assumed that it must have been your fault, they don't understand anything other than emotions... _Friad said that_! Falco you once told me you hated people comparing you to Fox, you have to stop doing that to yourself, forget what the Krazoa said to you. The decision you made was the right one, and in the circumstances you saved as many lives as could have been. I remember how terrible it was... laying in the dark wishing it would all end. I've been there Falco. I blamed myself for not bringing James back. If you want the truth it _never_ goes away. I still have nightmares and I still wish I'd been able to save James, but I've tried to put it behind me, that's all we can do. Just because I blamed myself for James' death doesn't mean it _was_ my fault" Peppy's words had come out harsher than he meant.

"But I enjoyed killing Mitoc!" Falco whimpered

Peppy frowned "You know what I did to Pigma, do you think I didn't enjoy that? Do you think _I'm_ evil?"

"No way! But that's different"

"Why?"

"It just is! You're a far better person anyway..."

"Pah! Falco when I escaped from Venom it was a _bloodbath. _ Same as it was for you. I don't like to think about how many lives my freedom cost, but that's the price of freedom, for you, me, and millions of innocent civilians." Peppy paused "You don't think I'm evil do you?"

"No!"

"Then you aren't either. Falco our lives are much more similar than you realise. It was a different time, a different place, but for what it's worth the rest was the same. Everyone who had been through what you... and I... went through would want revenge. You'd have to be an absolute saint to have an opportunity to kill them and let it pass you by. If anything Falco I'm worse than you, I actively sought Pigma out and made sure he suffered before he died... From what you said Mitoc's death was quick and painless. Which was more of a luxury than he gave the others and would have given you. I don't blame you one bit for what you did." Peppy paused "Falco if you hadn't killed Mitoc, he would have killed you, slowly." Falco could see anger in Peppy's eyes "I don't know I would have been able to show as much mercy as you, if I'd have found out who'd done that to you, I'd have made sure they screamed just a little before they died at my hands. Maybe that makes me as bad as them, but I don't hurt anyone who hasn't hurt me or one of mine first. We capture Falco, not kill... mostly, and the ones we capture don't suffer." Peppy chuckled "Friad was right, this is all about how you justify things to yourself." He paused "I don't think any of us are really capable of knowing what is good or evil. We all just have to fight for what we believe in, it's impossible to say whether the cause we fight for will be the right one in the long run. We just have to believe, and not sit around and let what we see as evil just happen... if we did that we could be forsaking thousands of lives down the line. We try to save life, not destroy it don't we? What you did with Krystal proved that, we'd all risk our lives if we thought we could save an innocent other... that's what we do every day. And that's what you were doing when the six of you left on that mission. That, I think is what matters... our intentions were good, even if circumstances transpired against us."

Falco was oddly reassured by knowing Peppy had been through the same range of emotions and had turned into the person he was. Falco had been secretly afraid he was becoming a monster... like his father. He felt himself smile, if he grew into half the man Peppy was he could be proud.

"Thanks Peppy, talking to you always makes me feel better" Falco sighed thoughtfully, feeling suddenly guilty "I'm sorry"

"Whatever for?"

"For making you remember... I tried to hide it, manage on my own so I wouldn't make you remember but when I saw the Behemoth again and all those pilots died... I couldn't stop it anymore"

"Is that why you didn't say anything sooner? You were trying to protect... _me_?"

"...I d-don't know, I was scared, of lots of things, that you would take me to General Pepper and he'd make me go back or face a tribunal and they'd blame it all on me and throw me in prison, or... that you just wouldn't believe me. Mostly it just hurt too much to think about it... and I sort of thought it wasn't your problem" Falco looked down. He felt Peppy reach out and touch the side of his face; gently he pulled his head up so he looked him in the eye.

"If you ever have one of your _little_ problems again for goodness sake tell us! Don't keep it secret, don't hide it, tell _someone_. If it's your problem it's ours as well."

"I know... but I spent so long acting as though it was stronger than I felt, fighting, hiding from SharpClaw, Fox, Krystal and whatever else, it seemed I couldn't appear weak or I would be vulnerable... I couldn't let myself trust anyone..."

"You know we wouldn't hurt you... don't you?" Peppy said remembering Falco's words after he'd spoken to Pepper.

"Of course I do... but I was afraid. My father changed... and... well... you know... I was afraid the same thing might happen here..."

Peppy couldn't bring himself to say anything more.

"I was afraid you would be angry at me for running away..."

Peppy looked down at him and smiled "I'll have time to be mad at you once this is all finished with"

"Good. I look forward to it" Falco said smiling. Peppy took a sip of his coffee and watched Falco over the rim of the mug. They sat in silence for a long time, until Peppy realised Falco had fallen asleep leaning against his arm.

Peppy stayed there for a long time. Unwilling to move in case he woke him. He flicked quietly through the channels, the words running along the bottom of the screen in subtitles. He paused as a computer generated image of a large ship came up on the screen. It was the news.

"Few details have been released on the proposed counter attack against the vessel known only as the "Behemoth", although it appears that large fleets of fighters are being assembled on Corneria, Katina, Canite and many other military installations. Also leading mercenary teams have been drafted in, _Great_ _Fox_ flagship of the legendary Star Fox team and the _SilverEagle _of the Silver Wing team have been seen in orbit around Corneria and Katina. The true identity of the surviving commando from the original attack remains a subject of hot debate-"

Peppy switched over the channel fuming. Commando? Peppy looked down on Falco. That was a joke; he was just a child, with huge potential, maybe ruined for life now. A child who had had the misfortune to become tangled up in something bigger than him, bigger than anyone had ever realised. He'd been caught in a political argument, and Peppy knew all to well that in those it was never the politicians who got hurt. Falco and his team had paid the price, with their blood and their lives... Peppy put his head against Falco's for a moment sighing. Falco mumbled something but he didn't catch the words.

Peppy lifted Falco gently. He was stunned by how little he seemed to weigh. Sure Avions were always light, hollow bones, but still. Peppy found himself sighing again. After what Falco had been through it was only to be expected, and they all knew it wasn't over yet...

Peppy looked around at the sound of a soft knock at his door. He went and opened it. He found Fox standing on the threshold.

"Foxy..." Peppy said gently, the look on his face told him why he was there.

"Can I come in?" He asked weakly.

"Of course" Fox walked slowly past him hugging his dressing gown close round him.

"Sorry I woke you"

"I wasn't asleep..." Peppy mumbled following Fox back into the room. He turned to look at Peppy, the light of the stars from outside reflecting wetly in his eyes. Fox sank onto the side of the bed and Peppy came and sat by his side. Peppy waited patiently for Fox to speak first, he seemed to be having trouble bringing himself to say what was on his mind. Finally he spoke, quietly, in a voice too young for him.

"I was having nightmares about Falco..." Peppy knew it would have taken Fox a lot to admit that, but there was more and Peppy was afraid he knew what was coming "And dad..." Fox said trailing off to quiet sobs. As Peppy watched his shoulders shake slowly he was aware of tears dripping down his own face, and a familiar rage building up, only this time divided between two people. Pigma and General Pepper. Fox continued to cry.

"Make it go away Peppy" he sobbed. Peppy put his arm round his shoulders.

"I can't... I wish I could..." he said helplessly "But I can't..." he paused looking for the right words. He was kidding himself, there were no right words. "We all need time to heal. All of us." Fox turned to look at him. Peppy held his eyes "It's ok to be scared Fox, its ok to feel angry and sad. This hasn't just happened to Falco, it's happened to all of us, and whatever you feel it's ok. Right now I would like to blow a small through lots of people's heads... We have to get through this, together, like we always do."

"I can't help but feel it's my fault... if I hadn't-"

"No ifs! No buts!" Peppy said suddenly louder. His voice softened again "If we looked at every if and but we could go back to long before you were _both_ born, and it would do us no good, only drive us mad. What's done is done; now we just pick up the pieces and carry on... bitter experience has taught me that Foxy... there are always pieces to mend, even if you can never get back to the whole again."

"What do we do Peppy?..."

"I don't know... there are no quick fixes... we just have to help one another through this. Stand together, and nothing will stop us. Even this." Peppy chuckled to himself.

"It was Falco came up with that one wasn't it?" Fox asked

"Yeah, I got quite jealous"

"It seems like so long ago now..."

"At the time I think he believed it. And I needed to as well, even if you didn't"

"It was Falco who held us together that time... I don't know where he came up with all that stuff, I'm just glad he did" Fox chuckled "I never imagined Falco to be the kind of person that could talk us out of a fight."

"Well, he's always had plenty of surprises up his sleeves, more so than we give him credit for... but the base did blow up shortly after that if I remember, didn't it?"

"Mm... Falco always has been very good at blowing things up that annoy him." Fox chuckled "Threatened to do it do me"

"You know he wouldn't"

"Duh!... it would make too much of a mess!"

Peppy sighed helplessly and shook his head.

"I'm gunna give up on you two one day"

"Don't say that Peppy!" Fox said troubled.

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"Good... because we still need you... I can't lead this team without you to back me up... and...and... the other stuff you do"

Peppy smiled, he knew what Fox meant but could sense he was uncomfortable.

"Yes, I really must teach you and Slippy to cook properly, before you poison one of us!"

Fox folded his arms and pouted "My cooking's not _that_ bad"

"Yeah... sure Foxy"

"So where did Falco learn to cook anyway"

"Dunno, not me, his cooking's too good for me to have taught him, maybe his mum before he left"

"Mm... Hey Pep' have you spoken to them, you know after what happened they might want to see him... you know."

"I haven't, and I'm not going to"

"Why not?"

Peppy petted Fox's head. "Don't concern yourself with that pup"

Fox frowned at him but decided that he knew better. He felt himself yawn.

"I think it's time you went back to bed"

Fox nodded and allowed Peppy to lead him out of his room and down the corridor. At his door they paused.

"Happy thoughts before you go to sleep Foxy, helps stop the nightmares"

Fox nodded, "I'll try that"

"Goodnight pup"

"Yeah... thanks Peppy"

"That's what I'm here for" he chucked

Shaking his head and grinning Fox went inside and the door closed behind him.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Peppy jumped and spun round. "Doing your rounds?"

"Charles! Must you creep up on me like that?"

"Sorry"

"What are you doing up?"

"I heard voices. I was awake and wanted to make sure everything was ok"

Peppy smiled "Mm, that's my job"

Pepper frowned

"I've had Falco _and _Fox up. Not to mention nightmares of my own. I'm just waiting for Slippy now!" he smiled sarcastically "Though he doesn't tend towards nightmares. Thank goodness"

"Was Fox having nightmares?"

"Yeah... about James... among other things"

"So he came to you?"

"Well duh, what d'you expect?" Peppy sighed and rubbed his eyes "They're all still babies really... Sometimes being the adult all the time sucks"

"Well you're not the only adult onboard at the moment"

Peppy laughed with contempt "And they're really going to talk to you. Don't be stupid"

Pepper opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"Goodnight" Peppy said curtly and walked to his bedroom.

On the other side of the door Peppy sighed sadly. He would have like nothing more than to be able to talk to Pepper, he needed his own shoulder to cry on. Charles Pepper had been his friend for a long time, he had been one of the ones that had encouraged him to join the academy when he hadn't believed he was good enough, Charles had been a good friend to both him and James McCloud for many years. It had been Charles who had always been there, in the background as he struggled to recover from the effects of Venom and help Fox deal with the death of his parents. But Peppy was too angry with him to be able to talk to him, he wanted to be able to forgive him, but he couldn't, and he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to. Peppy felt betrayed, this was almost worse than what Pigma had done to him, Peppy frowned at himself, Pigma had been a friend... so had Charles, how could he keep getting people so wrong?... Maybe it was his fault...

Falco awoke late the next morning in his own bed. For a few moments he starred at the ceiling confused. Then his mind started working and he realised what must have happened. He yawned thoughtfully... no nightmares? Several hours sleep with no nightmares, a luxury. Maybe things were getting better. As he lay there Falco realised for the first time he could really remember since before the Behemoth, he was hungry, his clock showed it was nearly lunchtime. Again yawning he dragged his aching body out from under the covers, sorry to leave behind their comforting warmth. He crossed the room to his bathroom. As he waited for the water to run he again stared into the mirror, it hadn't been long since he had last done this, just a few measly days, yet things seemed to have changed so much since then. Falco looked at his face, his reflection stared unblinkingly back at him, as though mocking him. Falco gave way to its gaze and instead examined his arms. He was aware they hurt, his wrist ached, the cuts itched, it was almost as though he couldn't ignore them anymore, for so long he'd just been pretending they hadn't been there. He looked at the wounds, he couldn't even remember getting some of them, some of them only came back in flashbacks, then slipped away again, he guessed that that was a good thing, like his hand, he could only distantly remember one of them hitting it with a hammer, but he'd missed lots of things out in his recollections, they weren't all things the team had needed to hear. He was still trying to protect them. Falco sighed; he had to accept what had happened and try to move on from it. Not keep pretending it had never happened. Friad had said it was up to him whether the Behemoth killed him or not. Falco frowned suddenly determined, he'd be damned if he was going to let Slytir and Mitoc get the better of him. He wasn't going to let them ruin his life. He was going to survive. Falco scowled at his reflection and silently retook his vow that he would never ever give up.

He wandered into the common room. Fox, Peppy and Slippy were already there. Thankfully Pepper was absent.

"Mornin'" Falco said cheerfully. There was an uncomfortable atmosphere prevailing in the room, Falco knew none of them knew what to say to him. He'd been afraid it would be like this, his good mood deflated and the hunger changed to nausea. He considered walking right back out again but thought this probably wouldn't give the best impression. He sank into a chair by Fox's side. The silence persisted for a while until it was suddenly broken by Fox, who sneezed. Everyone in the room nearly jumped out of their skin.

"Nice one Foxy!" Falco laughed "So where's Pepper skulked off to?"

Wiping his nose Fox responded "He went back to the surface this morning, they're organising a counter strike."

"How long?" Falco asked sombrely.

"A few days"

"I take it the four of us are going along" The others all stared at him. Falco frowned darkly "I have a score to settle"

"Then we go" Fox said simply "Lets kick some Behemoth ass"

Looks not words said that each were as determined as Falco.

"We've just received word from General Pepper; he's pleased to know that we're going to be part of the mission. We're to dock with Elenora space base, everyone involved with the mission is assembling there, Marconi, Marsule or Kerryneth."

"Kerryneth? That's right on the border isn't it?"

"Yes" Peppy answered "We've been there once, it's quite big for an outlying base"

"Pepper wants the fleet nicely spaced out, just in case. The civilian population has been removed, so you don't have to worry about running into your angry shopkeeper Falcs. It's not ideal... but it'll suffice. The shuttles are being worked on there. It seems they're coming up short. Pepper even wants to know if the Vixen can be fixed"

"Not in a few days it can't" Slippy said

"That's what I told him... Sounds like things are pretty desperate. The Federation hasn't been engaged in all out war since the last Andross war. Shuttles aren't the kind of thing they keep around in large supplies, least not the small PLTs."

"What about the fleet?"

Fox shrugged "They're being fitted with cloaks, what Pepper wants to do with them I don't know; details are a little sketchy... I guess Pepper has something in mind..."

"I should bloody well hope so. He's known our original attack failed for weeks now!"

"These things take time, that's how it is with government... by the time it goes through all the channels and the attacks are authorised... Half the time I expected the enemy to be sitting on our bumpers before we were given the order to engage" Peppy growled "And then when someone has the nerve to act independently they become the scapegoat for political arguments! I've seen it over and over... The people aren't the problem... it's the politicians!"

"I dunno Peppy; it wasn't the politicians who built the Behemoth..."

"Actually Fox, we never worked out who built the Behemoth"

"Course we do, Andross"

"How could Andross have built it, he was dead"

"Well his forces then"

"They were in tatters after the war. Someone united them, and told them about the Krazoa legends. They alone couldn't have built it. They needed resources that no underground organisation could organise. Only a government could supply that much finance. A government _outside_ the Federation. There _is_ more going on here than any of us realise, and Pepper has just covered that up"

"Do you think some faction from outside the Federation is attacking then?"

Falco rolled his eyes "Yes Fox I do"

"I agree" Slippy said

"See the politicians"

"Peppy you sure know how to hold a grudge. Was getting kicked out of the Army really such a bad thing?"

He smiled "Mmm... I'd have never met you if I hadn't" He laughed "You can make your own minds up about that one"

Fox rolled the dice and moved his Arwing shaped counter around the board.

"Four, five, six" he counted out "Ah crap... Cornerian Airways, how much do I owe you Falco?"

Falco smiled and looked down at the cards showing the places he owned

"One way ticket to Zoness, 350" Falco joked. Grudgingly Fox handed over the money.

"Nice doing business with you Foxy" Falco mocked.

"Ha, ha. I'll beat you next time we play cards"

"Yeah sure Fox whatever you say"

Falco rolled the dice. He looked at them briefly.

"Eleven" Fox said.

"I can still count!"

Falco picked up the shuttle counter and moved it along eleven spaces. Fox sighed when it landed 1 square past his hotel. Falco grinned at him and handed him the dice. Fox rolled again.

"Three?!" Fox cried dismayed. His luck seemed to be very poor today. Falco watched as he moved his Arwing along, then picked up the dice and rolled again.

"Five" Falco counted along "Corneria Grand...

Salty walked along by Falco's side through the busy high street. The crowds concentrating on their shopping ignored them, until Salty tripped and fell. Falco looked back as he was dragged into a dark hole in the sunny sky by clawing hands. He screamed out for help, but Falco could do nothing.

Fox was watching him intently.

"Falco?..."

He shook himself.

"Huh?"

"Another one?" Fox asked

"Yeah..." Falco sighed.

"You ok?"

Falco closed his eyes and nodded "It's your go"

Fox frowned at him and rolled the dice. As he moved his counter he spoke again. "Peppy used to do that to me..."

Falco didn't answer. Fox tried to lighten the mood.

"Community chest... Oh look drunken charge, how typical!" Fox said mildly. Falco grinned at him weakly "50 fine, suppose I got off lightly" he sighed putting the money back into the bank. They both looked up to see Slippy come into the room.

"Monopoly... who's winning" he asked peering at them

"Falco, who else?"

"Now there's a surprise" Slippy chuckled.

Falco always had been the best at monopoly, even though his maths skills left something to be desired. Fox always spent his money right at the beginning, by the end he would be begging Falco or one of the others to by his property to pay his debts.

"I never liked this game anyway" Fox sulked

"Aw poor Foxy's broke" Falco chuckled "Ne'er mind buddy, call it quits now huh?"

"Alrighty"

Between them they packed up the box watched by Slippy.

"What's up Slip'" Falco asked

"Nothin' just been fighting with Fox's Arwing"

"Oh... Who won?"

"The ship" Slippy said "I don't know how Salty did it"

Falco grinned "He didn't most of the time. You should have heard the cursing coming from that docking bay-my Arwing gave him lots of trouble. I don't think Tyson's was so much of a problem. He said something about the custom parts..."

"Yeah, I'm having trouble tying the cloak into the shield relay; they keep blowing each other out."

"Yeah I think that was the problem he had..."

"Will you have a look, maybe you'll spot something I haven't"

"Alright Slip' I'll try, but I can't promise anything, I only had time to learn the basics"

Slippy shrugged "your guess is as good as mine"

"How they doing with the changes to the fleet?"

"Ok I think, it's easier on the standard ships, and they've got some of Salty's original team working on them"

"They told them what happened to him then"

"Yeah... the Behemoth's all across the Federation. It's in the news and everything, just not the gritty details."

Falco pushed against the rising tide of memories again, and for the first time in ages won the fight. He smiled, mildly surprised.

"Corneria's in mild chaos" Fox said slowly "The Federation have kept what they can secret but they are only just subduing panic. We are at war."

"Again..." Falco sighed "Guess Pepper had his reasons for wanting to keep our mission quiet"

"Yeah but there is such a thing as keeping it too quiet" Fox growled. Falco just shrugged in response. "So far they've managed to keep the whispers of Andross and Venom down, but I don't think it will last. They've kept your name quiet too. You're just known as "The Survivor"..."

"That's putting it lightly"

"Yeah, they're taking bets on who it is in some places."

Falco's face said it all.

"That's sick!" Slippy shouted.

"Yeah"

Fox and Slippy were surprised when Falco smiled.

"I wonder what sort of odds you'd get for it being me..."

Fox smiled at him and shook his head.

"Quite good ones I think... Falco sometimes I wonder at your sense of humour."

Falco shrugged laughing to himself. Slippy and Fox both gave him the "you've finally lost it" look.

"You just have to laugh at it sometimes" Falco said, his smile faded "otherwise it just eats you away... until there's nothing left" he paused for a long time. "Can't put a bet on myself really can I? It would sort of give the game away huh? Those lot are going to be disappointed when they never find out who it was aren't they?"

"They'll lose interest hopefully..." Fox said trailing off, wondering how long Falco could possibly keep his secret...

"All wings report to the bridge"

He woke sharply from a doze unsure if he's imagined hearing Fox's voice. He half expected to hear alarms and find they were engaging the Behemoth earlier than anyone had planned, but there were none. Falco frowned to himself.

"Fox did you just call us or am I going nuts?"

"No more than usual buddy. Yeah I called, Pepper's just sent us a message, come to the bridge because I want a word"

"Alright Furball I'm on me way"

"No hurry"

"I wasn't intending to hurry"

Fox laughed and cut the comm.

When Falco sauntered onto the bridge he found Peppy and Slippy were yet to arrive. Fox was sat in one of the chairs at Great Fox's manual controls looking out at the base. Briefly he looked round as Falco entered but said nothing.

"Now there's a site I haven't seen in a while" Falco said peering out at Elenora Space Base.

Fox chuckled softly. "At least your shop will be closed"

Falco sighed "I was going to pay them back... with interest"

Fox raised an eyebrow and looked up at him "The Federation owe you a change of clothes"

"The Federation doesn't owe _me_ anything"

He slumped into the chair at Fox's side

"I'm sure paying them back can be arranged... if you're really that worried"

"I have more than enough money now. There's no excuse for me to be stealing, or leaving my debts unpaid."

Fox was about to say something when Peppy and Slippy entered the room.

"Sorry guys, I had to rescue Slippy from Fox's Arwing's innards again"

Fox and Falco smothered laughter "Slippy did you get your hand stuck in the air vents again?"

"No I did not. I was trying to improve your shields so you don't get blown to kingdom come and I dropped my hydro-spanner into the bottom of the shield relay. I supposed I'd better try and get it out again before you tried to fly it. Maybe I shouldn't have bothered."

"Chill Slippy!"

"Huh, I don't see anyone else offering to help with the upgrades"

"I've already said I will!" Falco objected

"Erm I um didn't mean you Falco"

"Fox what did you call us here for?" Peppy asked, stepping in before frayed tempers could become even more so.

"Err yes. Pepper sent us our mission details. There's a formal briefing for everyone involved being held on the base, he's said we don't have to go, under the circumstances, since we already know the score... he's willing to brief us individually-"

"Why should we be any different to everybody else?" Falco asked

Fox shrugged "Ok, we'll go to the briefing. Pepper's outlined it... pretty much the same as your original attack. Except this time the Federation seems to be throwing everything it has against the Behemoth and hoping for the best. More shuttles, all cloaked, more strike teams, and more fighters. We're being supplied with a shuttle..." Fox smiled "Listen to this "I would greatly appreciate it if you could bring _this_ shuttle back in one piece, please don't let Falco or Peppy fly it, their record with rented shuttles is far from promising... Good luck Star Fox... Come home as you leave us"

There was a silent pause for a moment

"He's got some cheek! Those shuttles crashing was_ not _our fault"

Fox smirked "What are we up to now?"

"2 crashed and 1 put beyond repair, 2 more in for months of repairs, and that's just during my famed career" Falco laughed "I was in all but one of them... and that doesn't even include the Vixen or the Spectre, the one I blew up on the Behemoth..."

"Funny I haven't had that problem in the Landmaster"

"Only coz you have the three of us in the sky coverin' your furry tail!"

"I got one more to add to that list..." Peppy grinned sheepishly "Another reason why the Army wanted rid of me... That big rock came out of nowhere!"

The team laughed at him

"Has Pepper allocated the docking bays yet?"

"I don't think so, why?" Fox asked through smothered laughter

"Because we need to get one near where I went in last time... we can't go into the same one" He grinned devilishly "Because there isn't enough of it left... but somewhere near there"

"Why?"

"Because I remember the way... and I have a little unfinished business with that reactor core"

"All the better if you can lead the way, we wont have to worry about getting lost" Slippy said

"You're memory must be a lot better than mine"

Falco shrugged "I've been running down those corridors in my sleep for the last three weeks... I know the way... once we get to our docking bay."

"What time's the briefing Fox?"

"Couple of hours 0600 space time"

"Anything else?" The various team members all shook their heads "Come on then Slip' lets go see if we can wrestle Fox's Arwing into shape!"

Falco headed for the door and Slippy followed. Fox remained where he was.

"Do you ever think your life is getting a _little _out of control?"

Peppy put his hands on the back of Fox's chair.

"All the time. By the time you get to my age you learn to live with it"

Fox sighed softly; he couldn't help but think _if_ he got to Peppy's age.

"Take it from someone older and wiser; you'll spend most of your life confused, watching it pass you by with a simple sense of bemusement. Ancient spirits bring a dead dictator back to life, your friends stab you in the back, quite literally, millions die in war and yet the sentient spirit prevails, we all pull together and the next day another little child comes screaming into the world."

Fox smiled up at him "You missed your vocation. You should have been a poet"

"I don't think anything surprises me anymore. I couldn't have been a poet. I wouldn't have had anything to write about if I'd had any other life but the one I've led."

"Not ready to retire yet then?"

"Not just yet... Few more years... maybe then I'll teach, or become a florist"

Fox burst into laughter "You, I'll eat my Arwing the day I see that!"

"That's enough to make me become one just to see that"

The four of them met up at the docking hatch 20 minutes before they were due to be at the meeting. Falco and Slippy were both covered in some unidentifiable dark liquid from somewhere in the depths of Fox's Arwing's innards. Evidently they'd got somewhat carried away. Falco was so covered the feathers on his hands looked more black than blue. As he walked up he spoke.

"Ok, ok, _this _is my fault" He held out his arms "I unscrewed the wrong pipe. This is cordont fluid so Slippy tells me. But don't ask me what it does."

Slippy shrugged "I needed to change it, may as well do it today"

"Is it toxic?" Peppy asked

"Only to Avions"

Falco raised an eyebrow. Slippy laughed.

"No, supposed to be quite good for the skin actually"

"It sure don't smell nice" Fox wriggled his nose in disgust

"No that's the cleaning fluid I've been using" The four of them started walking towards the base "One of the minor components burned up sometime. I had to clean its charred remains from one of the control columns"

Halfway down the walkway they were searched by security guards.

"Salty was right, our Arwings really are held together with paperclips and duck-tape"

"They all need a complete overhaul. Except yours Falc' Salty and his team did it for me"

"You could write a book Slip! Mechanics on a shoestring"

"He'd have to improve his spelling first" Falco chuckled

"You're a fine one to talk"

"I know..."

When the team arrived at the briefing venue it was already full of strike teams. They tried to slip in quietly but word of their arrival rippled through the gathered assembly, in short notice most, if not all eyes were focused on them. Falco found himself trying to hide behind Fox and Peppy. After a moment the soldiers got the hint and all politely turned away, almost in unison, producing and effect that Star Fox found dizzying. There were those among the crowd that the team recognised, but none they were close enough to move especially to speak to. The team were all filled with a strong sense of unity and a wish to remain as one unit. Pleasantries were exchanged, but no more than that. The people in the room recognised and respected that none of them were in the mood for talking. The mood in the room was sombre; as Falco looked around he saw older faces, experienced battle hardened soldiers, instead of children. Most of them would have fought in the Second Andross War, if not the first. The people in this room knew what was at stake.

When Pepper entered the atmosphere became even more grim. Quickly everyone took their seats. The Star Fox team found somewhere inconspicuous near the back. As the first of the diagrams of the Behemoth flashed up on a screen and Pepper began to speak Falco looked around the room, at the faces, all staring intently ahead. He was suddenly consumed by a feeling of insignificance; it was a feeling that reminded him of the streets of Malcapay. He remembered that he didn't have a clue about people, he didn't understand them, and for a moment he knew he would never get the chance to learn to understand them. The feeling faded. Falco didn't understand why anyone would want to build something like the Behemoth. He understood the desire to gain power, to dominate the enemy. He understood the technicians and the mechanics that would have designed and built it, the longing they must have had to prove they were capable of conceiving and building such a technical masterpiece, for that was what it was he was willing to admit. He understood the soldiers and pilots working on it, they had to earn a living just as he did. Falco frowned, maybe he understood people on the lowest level, what he didn't understand was why they would all come together to create something which would deal out so much pain, he knew the urge for revenge could be strong, but he had never considered it to be worth the cost in so many lives, no matter how great the wrongs... Yet maybe the people on the Behemoth believed they were fighting for a cause, for the right side, same as the people of the Federation. The argument he's had with Fox that had started it all came back to him, he was again reminded that no cause was as simple black and white. Maybe his problem was that he understood people _too _well. He could see both sides of a conflict, and that made it hard for him to do many of the things he had to. Maybe he was in the wrong line of work. He wanted above all to make people happy, he wasn't sure that was what he was doing, but then, even if he did the right thing, he knew he could never make everyone happy.

The briefing was fairly standard, and pretty much exactly what Star Fox expected. A fleet of shuttles would be flown against the Behemoth, all cloaked, they were still going with sniper rifles, in the hope that the element of surprise could be maintained for as long as possible. Even though it was unlikely to last, hopefully they would be able to disguise the scale of the attack. The hope was to simply overwhelm the Behemoth's forces; it would just be pot luck as to who was caught and who reached their objective. As he listened Fox was reminded of the ancient wars he'd reluctantly studied in history where thousands of lives were wasted in a day to gain a few metres of ground. They're hope seemed more like a prayer. The strike teams weren't going to be alone this time however. Shortly after the initial wave of shuttles the cloaked fleet would attack. The Behemoth would have to send its fighters, as Falco had proved the ship's shields were weak, it was vulnerable if it couldn't use its large guns. The fleet would be able to do significant damage now, but the final strike would have to come from inside. It would be like ants trying to overwhelm a much larger target. Fox couldn't help but think it seemed like ants trying to bring down an elephant. But above all he knew, they had to succeed, the cost of the Behemoth's existence was already too high. Its corridors were painted red with blood in his eyes... When Fox took a moment to glance across at Falco he got the impression this was another of those moments where his body was with them, but his mind was somewhere else. That was probably for the best, Pepper was going over details they already knew, Fox couldn't help but wonder if Falco was mentally running through the Behemoth's corridors again. Suddenly he looked across at him, and grinned in an oddly maniacal way and he mouthed "Pay attention" before turning back to look at Pepper.

The briefing was over in a surprisingly short time. The strike teams all filled out the doors at the back of the room, chattering quietly, a few laughing, but not many. The Star Fox team were about to leave also but Pepper signalled for them to remain. Once the rest of the teams were gone Pepper approached.

"I was surprised to see you four here, but I'm grateful you came, you're support meant a lot to the soldiers, and to me"

Though only Pepper noticed Falco cast him a small smile and a nod.

"They're going to need all the help they can get" Fox said simply, not angrily, just stating a fact "We all will"

"I know... I wish there was more we could do... but we simply can't think of anything else"

"You've done enough; it's down to the soldiers and pilots of the Federation now. You just have to trust us, and stand by your promises. The fate of the Federation is in our hands, but we're all willing to give our lives for what we believe in..." Falco said softly, then smiled "We're soldiers, death's an occupational hazard"

"Always the optimist our Falco" Fox chuckled "I wonder where he gets that from"

"Hopefully it won't come to that" Peppy said grimly

"Whatever happens the cost of this conflict will be measured in lives"

"It always is"

"And Andross has more than enough lives accounted to _his _name" Fox growled "I thought I'd seen the last of him when I blew his f-in brains out"

"Andross' involvement in this has been played down somewhat... I'd like to keep it that way." Pepper said "Come on now then I'd like to introduce you to your shuttle personally, and admire its spotless hull one last time" Pepper chuckled

"We'll bring this shuttle back as it left; or not at all" Peppy sighed

"Now I know where Falco gets it from!" Fox laughed

Pepper led them into one of Elenora's larger docking bays. It was filled to the brim with shuttles. Slowly they walked between them following Pepper to what would be theirs. As they walked Falco and Slippy began to take increasing interest in the names painted on their sides, they began reading them to each other.

"Slippy do you notice a theme here?"

"Yeah!" He giggled

"Huh?" Fox asked looking back

"Leviathan, Goliath, Mammoth... The shuttles are trying to compete with the Behemoth!"

"That one's Draco... and... Mouse? Ok there's always one that has to be different isn't there?"

Pepper chuckled "Our mechanics got somewhat carried away... the more artistic among them painted logos too"

"What have we got then?"

"I dread to think"

"Just wait and see"

As they walked the shuttles names remained equally optimistic.

"That's yours up ahead"

Falco with his Avion vision was the first to be able to read the name on the side of the ship. He started to giggle.

"Pelagic?" Fox asked, a confused expression on his face

"What does that mean?" Slippy asked, equally ignorant.

"In this context, sea monster"

"Like the whale that swallowed Pinocchio" Falco laughed "Time to make a fire in its belly"

They spent a while inspecting the shuttles. It was only after a few hours that Peppy noticed Falco had disappeared. When he returned to the Pelagic he found a hastily scrawled note pinned to the control panel

Dear Peppy, Fox and Slippy

I've gone down to the surface with General Pepper to pick up some stuff I left in the barracks. See you in a couple of hours.

Feathers.

He crumpled the note in his hands, fuming quietly to himself. Pepper had done it again and he was secretly furious. He turned and stormed off towards the Great Fox's docking bay.

Slippy's birthday present sat in the top of the box, still wrapped up in the bright yellow paper with the blue balloons. Falco smiled when he remembered he still wasn't entirely certain what it was himself. Falco took that out and put it on a convenient table near the storage containers. He fished through the rest of the box, he had to bend so that he nearly fell into it, it was almost empty. Finally stuck in an envelope in the bottom of the box he found the things he'd been looking for, his 3 favourite photographs. One of the team, another of his family, his much younger self, before the bad times, when they had been a normal, happy family and his favourite of all the one of him and Safari, his childhood sweetheart, close together smiling happily, not long before he had left Avion forever. He would have been truly sorry to have lost that photo. Also he took from the box the bag he'd brought the things in, a bright green affair he's had for a _very long time_, it was his favourite bag, if he was going to take some other things he would need something to carry them in. The rest of the things in the crate he could stand to loose, or didn't want at all. It was easier to let the Army dispose of them.

Silver's crate was next to his. Falco stared at it quietly, it all seemed so impersonal, all the boxes were uniform grey marked with the emblem of the Cornerian Army; a name and serial number was all that identified each to its late owner. Slowly Falco took the lid off Silver's crate and gazed inside. It was much fuller than his, Falco was painfully reminded that the Army had been Silver's life for a long time, with a new twinge of pain he remembered that it had been all of Salty's life, being moved from one Army funded orphanage to the other, until his mechanical gift was recognised and exploited. It had been that gift, and the unfounded faith in the institution that had raised him that had brought his demise. His gift had turned into a curse. Sighing Falco looked back into Silver's crate on the top he spotted something, a book, small, bound in leather, he picked it out.

"Take it if you want it" Pepper said gently coming up behind him making Falco jump "Silver's roommate and other friends have already taken what they wanted. She didn't have anyone else. If you leave it here it will only gather dust for a while then be disposed of." He put his hand on Falco's shoulder. "Even if you can't face it now take it anyway, you might want it later, and by the time you do it might be too late."

Falco never answered. Pepper didn't know what else to say, so he took himself quietly away, and left the boy alone with his grief. Falco stared down at the diary. Fingered its maroon leather cover, the heart shape indented into it, he let his fingers trace around that a few times. Finally he opened the cover to gaze onto the first page, all it said was "Silver Allret" and a date about three moths before they had met. He couldn't yet bring himself to look at the other pages. He put the diary aside and continued to go through the rest of the box. There wasn't much else that interested him, mostly clothing, it appeared all of her photographs had been taken already. That saddened him. He had only one picture to remind him of her. Finally as he was giving up his hand closed around a familiar metallic object, he pulled it out, he smiled when his eyes confirmed his thoughts. He held up Silver's bracelet and gazed at it with watery vision. He slid it onto his wrist and twiddled it briefly, just like she used to...

Next Falco moved to Salty's crate. On the very top, slightly squashed by the lid he found the model Javelin. He pulled it out, fingering it tenderly smiling through tears, he looked at the rest of the contents of the box, many of the things could have belonged to Slippy; finally Falco found something that meant something to him as his hand closed around a soft ear. Falco pulled Smokey out of the box, he stared at him... or it... The eyes that had seemed reassuring looked sad for a moment, then they changed again, as though wishing to comfort him, welcoming a new owner. For a moment he held the toy to his chest, not caring if anyone saw. He closed his eyes, wishing he could hear Salty's voice again, listen to him laugh at him as he nearly blew himself up trying to work the cloak. He heard nothing, no voices, no laughter, just the silence, and somewhere in the storage depot the scuttling of a mouse. He sighed and for just one moment wished he could believe in ghosts or Friad's "ancients" so he wouldn't have to feel so alone.

There were few things that Lupus owned that meant anything to Falco, none of them really seemed to do his boisterous personality any justice; all he could find were a few suitably sarcastic newspaper clippings.

Falco leant into Blaze's crate, his was almost empty, he'd had a girlfriend, and a sister Falco seemed to remember hearing someone say, he guessed they had already taken all his belongings. The only thing that remained in his box was a rifle, his favourite one. Falco pulled it out; on the wooden butt was an engraving.

_To Blaze_

_Happy birthday_

_Love Mum and Dad_

_Good hunting _

Peppy came into Pepper's office like a raging storm, not bothering to knock.

"Where have you left him?"

Pepper jumped and looked up.

"Peppy!"

"Where is he?"

Pepper looked put out but decided Peppy was in no mood to argue.

"In the storage depot, collecting his things"

"_And _going through the rest of the team's stuff!?"

"Yes."

Pepper looked back at his papers, which irritated the hell out of Peppy

"And you left him to do that alone?"

"Yes. Peppy, I do have work to do and he needs some independence"

"Humph. If this had been Sarah would you have let _her _go alone?" Sarah was Pepper's grown up daughter "And _don't_ say this is any different" Peppy growled.

Pepper looked up at him again. "I suppose not"

Peppy said nothing for a moment, just stared indignantly down at him.

"Are you going to show me the way or not?!"

In response Pepper stood up and walked to the door, Peppy followed him in silence. Finally as they walked down the corridor Pepper spoke.

"This _is_ different to Sarah" He said dryly.

"Why?"

"Because Falco isn't your responsibility anymore"

Peppy stopped, staring at him

"What?" he asked incredulously

"He's old enough now; he stopped being your responsibility when he turned 14"

Peppy's surprised face turned to anger "And when did Sarah _stop being your responsibility_?"

"That's different"

"Why?!"

"She's my _daughter_"

Peppy felt a surge of white hot anger run through him

"Is this a sexist or genetic argument?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh come on Peppy" Pepper went to turn round and walk off, Peppy stopped him.

"No, come on Charles if you have something to say lets hear it"

"You've done your duty to them Peppy. They're _all_ old enough now"

"Old enough for you to send them to be slaughtered"

"Old enough for them to have their own lives"

"And you think I'm stopping them?!" Peppy asked with contempt. Pepper said nothing.

"They stay... and Falco came back because they want to. Great Fox is our _home. _We may not have a _proper, respectable _family like _yours_, but dysfunctional as it is it still means something to _us_."

"You can't be responsible for their every move Peppy"

"I know that, and I don't intend to be." He sighed "When Sarah turned 14 did you stop caring about her?"

"No..."

"Well then. What would you be doing if Falco was her?"

Pepper remained silent, which increased Peppy's irritation.

"I don't want to fight with you Charles. I suggest you show me to the storage depot before I do something you'll regret."

Pepper's tolerance came to an end.

"Is that a threat Hare?"

Peppy stared at him.

"No _Sir _General Pepper" He spat.

"Because if it was I could have you removed, and I don't think that would do Falco any good at all now would it?" he sneered.

Peppy stared dumbfounded at him, he knew how to hit him where it hurt. Pepper turned and carried on walking. Peppy followed, when he increased his pace to walk by his side and spoke again it was softer, but not without a subtle edge.

"Why are you being like this?"

They were nearing the storage depot. Pepper opened the door. He led Peppy inside and pointed down one of the rows.

"He's down there"

Peppy frowned at him and walked off. Sadly Pepper turned and left them to it.

It took Peppy a while to find Falco. He was standing facing him. The sight of him made Peppy stop and take a step back. He stood with a large rifle strapped to his back, a green bag over the top of that. In his hand he help a crowbar, which he beat slowly against his other hand in a menacing way. His eyes were narrowed and his posture nothing but aggressive, though his face was stained with tears. Peppy was taken aback; this wasn't what he'd expected. Then he remembered Fox's aggressive turns after his father died.

"Tyson was _exactly_ like me" Falco snarled suddenly, making Peppy jump. He didn't know what to say, and though he was shocked to admit it to himself, afraid to approach. Finally he found his voice.

"Falco put the crowbar down"

Falco's yellow eyes locked on to him, as though burning a hole in his head

"Are you frightened of me?" he asked in a voice that didn't really seem like his own. Peppy didn't know how to answer that, at this moment the truth was probably yes.

"Please Falcs put it down"

Falco paused and looked from it to Peppy and back again.

"Did you think I'd-ugh!" He dropped it, his face went through a range of emotions, none of them pleasant to behold before he found his voice again. "I swore I'd put that behind me. Peppy, look at me! I'm a monster!"

"Then you and me both"

"What?!"

"There are lots of things I've done that were less than right-"

"But always for the greater good!"

"No. I did a lot of... bad... things in my past, I just never got caught. It's only illegal if you get caught, right?"

Falco stared at him, that was something Jedd used to say, a lot.

"When I did things Falco they were for far less noble causes than yours, some day I'll tell you about them, but they're not exactly bedtime stories. What you've done doesn't make you a monster. Doesn't make _us_ monsters. It's what's in your heart that matters..." Carefully Peppy took a step closer. Falco's defensive posture increased a notch, almost automatically "Only you can ever know what's really in your heart, but those around you get a pretty good look... I'd vouch for your character any day"

Falco didn't move or speak, he just remained staring at him. Peppy took another cautious step. "At least, that's what I've always believed, and sometimes our beliefs are all we have"

Peppy was close now, he reached out to touch his arm. Falco flinched and backed away until the bag on his back slammed up against the shelves holding the crates. Uttering only a yelp of fear he stood there staring, looking through Peppy rather than at him.

"Easy..." he soothed, trying to go closer, but that just seemed to make things worse.

"Actarr temaay!"

Peppy didn't speak Avion, but he could guess what the words meant and obliged by going no closer.  
"Easy Falco" He soothed carefully, wishing to go closer but not daring. Falco's eyes stared fixatedly ahead, his back still pressed up against the wall. Not knowing what else to do Peppy took another step closer, at that all hell broke lose.

"Actarr temaay, seymoi hai!" he screamed desperate, his eyes rolling back into his head "Seymoi hai! Seymoi hai!" he cried falling to the ground.

It was like some sort of fit. It took a while for Peppy to compose himself, he'd never seen a violent flashback from the outside before. All he could remember was wanting them to stop as soon as possible. He stooped by Falco's side, not sure what to do. Peppy was conscious Falco's hands flailed about, mostly trying to cover his face and fend off unseen attackers. Peppy gathered his hands in his to hold his arms still.

"Shhh" he soothed. He seemed to writhe slightly less at that. Peppy wished he could wake him, he was growing afraid Falco would strangle himself between the straps of the bag and those of the rifle. "Hush little one"

Falco blinked and stopped moving suddenly.

"Peppy?" He questioned looking up, then seeing him, seeming to remember where he was groaned and put his hands, which Peppy had released to his face. "Sorry". He sighed then looked up at him. Peppy noticed Falco seemed embarrassed more than anything else. He went to sit up, Peppy offered him help but he shrugged it off. To his immense surprise after only a moment's pause Falco climbed to his feet.

"Let's go home" he said wearily. Peppy still shaken remained on the floor until Falco offered him his hand to help him up, which he refused and got to his feet unassisted.

"Yeah" Peppy agreed, and they left the hanger containing only the relics of the Army's dead in silence.

Only once they were well beyond the storage depot did Falco speak.

"Do me a favour, don't tell Fox and Slippy"

Peppy frowned at him

"About that- in there" Falco nodded his head backwards, towards the hangar "They don't need to know"

Peppy felt himself nod, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. They walked the corridors in silence then until they came to the docking bay. At the entrance Falco stopped.

"Hey I came down here in the shuttle... how am I gunna get home?"

"I brought the two-seat"

"Really? Cool... you think of everything Peppy" he looked around the hangar and spotted the Arwing in one corner.

Fox and Slippy were lounging in the common room when they got back.

"Hey Slip' come here I got something for you"

Slippy looked mistrustfully around "Will it hurt?"

"No" Falco laughed "Just come up here"

Slippy cautiously came up to the table where Falco stood, curiously Fox followed.

"What?" Slippy asked

"I have a belated birthday present for my little green friend"

"Oohhh!!" he cried looked at the box wrapped in yellow paper covered in blue balloons. Eagerly Slippy set about opening it. As he did so Falco looked across at Fox, grinning he rolled his eyes. At that moment Slippy discovered the contents of the box.

"Oh thanks Falco, I love you!" Slippy promptly wrapped his arms around Falco and hugged him tightly. Falco flinched a little.

"I love you too Slip'" He gasped "But please, not so tight"

"Oh sorry" Slippy let go and looked up at him, then turned and took the box to a convenient corner of the room to begin assembling his new toy.

Falco was laid on his bed reading a book he'd borrowed from Fox when an unfamiliar knock on his door disturbed him. Frowning he spoke.

"Come in?"

He was very surprised to see General Pepper standing at the threshold.

"Oh good you're not asleep" Pepper commented coming to stand at the foot of his bed.

"sheesh thanks for telling me that" Falco said icily.

"Nice to see you haven't lost your sarcasm" Pepper joked, Falco didn't smile "but I had reason to be grateful, Fox gave me as good as a death threat should I wake you"

"Go away" Falco said angrily "I don't want to talk to you"

Pepper looked taken aback, and didn't say anything. Falco looked back at his book.

"I don't know why you're still standing there. What do you expect to get out of me, especially after the way you treated Peppy."

"What?..." Pepper asked.

"Oh don't play games with me. I may be young but I'm not stupid. I know what you said." Falco looked up at him "You're supposed to be his friend. He needs friends now more then ever, especially you. You were there when he came back from Venom... He needs someone that understands... There's only so much the three of us can do... I'm not much use at the moment... The last thing he needs is to be fighting with you as well."

"Well I um... Falco I..." he stammered

"What" Falco asked shortly.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry..."

"It's not my forgiveness you need to seek"

"Does that mean...err um"

"You have it... I've got better things to do than harbour a grudge"

Pepper sighed and felt as though a huge weight lifted from him.

"What happened to us is in the past, and wasn't your fault" he said softly. "But" Pepper's heart sank as Falco locked him with his piercing gaze. "If you continue to hurt Peppy I might not be able to forgive you so easily"

Pepper couldn't find anything to say, it was like being reprimanded for a schoolyard disagreement.

"You should settle this sooner rather than later... because we might not all be coming back from the Behemoth" Falco's eyes turned sad and he looked away "The last thing you'll want is regrets... They just make it hurt all the more..."

"I'll never be able to forget what happened..."

Falco's voice turned hard again "Neither will I"

"I'll never be able to tell you how sorry I am..."

"Settle this feud and you'll go a long way to showing me. We can't bring them back. There's no point causing more pain over spent blood, don't let this ruin your friendship."

"You sound old Falco"

"I grew up a lot the last couple of months"

"You sound like Peppy"

Falco shrugged "I could sound like worse people"

Pepper smiled and nodded. He held out a brown envelope Falco hadn't noticed and waited for him to take it.

"I got those for you" He smiled wearily "Pulled a few strings, you know... It isn't much, but... well..." He trailed off. Falco frowned at the envelope, bemused he opened it and tipped it up. Something metallic rattled and fell into his lap. He looked down.

"Daft sod didn't wear them" Pepper chuckled gently "they were Army property so they were confiscated... but I got them back"

Falco picked up the set of dog-tags, a brief inspection proved they belonged to Salty.

"He was a good mechanic... but not gifted with a good memory, or much common sense." Falco looked up and grinned weakly "Just like someone else around here"

Pepper grinned but said nothing. Falco looked back at the tags.

"Thank you"

Pepper smiled "There's some other stuff in there too"

Falco nodded. Pepper turned and went to leave.

"Take care Falco" he said, and slipped out the door.

Charles found Peppy in the Common Room staring at the dishes but not actually doing them. He looked up when he entered the room.

"What are you doing here? Haven't you got a war to organise?"

Pepper was hurt by his hostility.

"I came to see Falco, Fox gave me permission" Peppy raised and eyebrow, hastily Pepper carried on "Though it seems I should really be talking to you...I'm sorry for the other day..."

Peppy frowned at him for a time before speaking. He looked down and went back to the dishes.

"Why did you say those things? You know how much they mean to me."

"Because I didn't want to see you get hurt"

Peppy looked up, anger in his brown eyes.

"And you thought all the things you said would _stop_ me being hurt?"

"I just... I don't know..." Pepper smiled "You're too soft! That's you're problem Peppy, you're too nice to people, any wayward soul you come across."

"You know the stick I got from people when I took them on. It felt as though you were turning on me too!... and "not your responsibility" was what _my_ Sarah said to me about Fox, on the night we broke it off"

"Really bad choice of words then?" Pepper asked.

"Couldn't have gotten much worse"

"I didn't mean to sound like I was turning on you Pep'. It's just... I watched you suffer when Falco ran out and I... well I didn't want to see that again. I was frightened of how you would be if... one of them died." He paused uneasily "I thought maybe if you distanced yourself from them, it wouldn't hurt you so much."

"I can't do that. They don't have anyone else... neither do I for that matter"

"Falco and Slippy's parents are still alive aren't they?"

"Slippy's are yes. I'm not sure about Falco's, can't say we care"

"Why do you say that?! How can you not be sure?"

"Because none of us have spoken to them for... must be a year or two now. Falco's only spoken to his mother about twice since he left"

Peppy's hands tightened around the scrubbing brush.

"What? Wait you picked him up..." he counted on his fingers "Eight years ago now! How can someone not speak to their parents for eight years!"

"They had their differences. Think about it Charles, what kind of parent just signs their kid over to a stranger after only seeing them for a few hours? We stayed with Slippy's family weeks before it was official."

"What are you getting at?"

Peppy shook his head "I promised I would never tell anyone..."

"Oh god..." Pepper moaned "Peppy..."

"You remember I told you Falco's father gave me the creeps?... As it turned out I wasn't wrong about him"

"How not wrong?"

"Physical abuse" Part of the handle on the brush Peppy was holding broke. "... at the very least..."

"Shit!... I'd never have guessed..." Pepper looked away.

"He was on the streets for a while, till he caught pneumonia and the police found him and took him back to his parents, not that they really wanted him back. If I ever see his father again I'll- argh!!"

Splinters from the broken handle stabbed into his fingers.

"Maybe that explains why he got on with Tyson so well. Oh shit! I said some stuff about street kids in front of him, I must have offended him!"

Peppy shrugged picking up the two halves of the handle. "I wouldn't worry about it. I only found out a few months ago, so over the years I probably said lots of things. See this is what I was saying to Fox, always full of surprises. He just doesn't seem to have had any good ones for me recently"

Pepper frowned at him "Kept that one quiet didn't he?"

"Yeah... which is probably a good thing. It makes me so angry when I think about it... how can anyone do that to their _children?_"

"I don't know. And social services had the nerve to come after you! Ugh...! They sure screwed up there"

"Yeah... but lets not talk about this... it makes me angry" Peppy grinned slightly, sheepishly holding up the broken brush, Charles smiled at him.

"I... sorry Peppy."

"That's alright..." Peppy trailed off and looked away "I'm so tired Charles... I don't think I can do this much longer... you're a parent, was it ever like this for you?"

Charles Pepper was suddenly filled with compassion for his old friend

"Sarah put me through hell in her own, special way, but no, it was never like this. I don't envy you Peppy."

"I wouldn't give any of them up for the universe but..." he sighed deeply and remained looking away "but I don't know how much longer I can be the strong one for"

"You don't have to be all the time." Charles soothed putting his hand on his shoulder.

Peppy finally looked up "You know this is the kind of thing I used to ask James for help with."

"Well I'm no James McCloud but..." Pepper said softly "Would _I_ make a good substitute?"

Peppy smiled weakly at him "Yeah... you always used to..."

Charles sighed "I want to beat the Behemoth Peppy... and if I could have done that by sacrificing the strike team and saving the pilots and all the rest that will go against it now I would have done... If I'd have thought it would work without the Angels I wouldn't have hesitated... I'm sorry Peppy... but I want you to know that"

Peppy looked up at him sadly, rubbing at his eyes "I understand... I have no wish to see anymore families ripped apart than necessary..." He sighed allowing his head to sink into his hands "But why did it have to be _my_ family?"

"I don't know... It hurts... I want the Behemoth finished as quickly and as painlessly as possible... I'm about to become a grandfather Peppy, I want that child to grow up in a Federation without war..." He sighed "I want to give him or her the world _our _generation couldn't give Fox, Falco and Slippy. I want to give them peace."

Peppy looked up smiling through tears "Congratulations, I didn't know... life goes on I suppose... Give my love to Sarah."

"She and Amelia asked me to send their love to you and the boys... they're both worried for you all"

"Tell Sarah not to, it's bad for her health" Peppy chuckled

Charles shook his head "Your always the same Pep' thinking of others first"

Peppy shrugged "Haven't got anything better to do, you can invite them up if you like... you will have to warn them about the mess though... Great Fox isn't exactly tidy at the moment..."

"For a mercenary you aren't half house proud!"

Peppy snorted "I found a mug in my room this morning; it had _purple _mould growing in it. I didn't even know mould came in purple"

"You never know, Amelia might offer to do the cleaning for you, you know what she's like" He grinned "But I have to say... all things considered she isn't that untidy... I have seen her much worse... although I think that might have been when James still lived here"

"Now _that _was a nightmare. I gave up trying to tidy up his mess... I kept finding little mementos of his for months after he was gone. Was kinda nice, made me think the ship would always be his, he'd never be gone, even if I wanted him to be... but now I have Fox to leave his socks in odd places." He grinned "Great Fox just wouldn't be right without a McCloud"

"I think she'd be lost without you"

"Me? I'm just part of the furniture"

"Exactly!" Charles laughed "You've been here since she was built." He sighed "Sorry Pep' I gotta go, this was meant to be a flying visit. I have a briefing this afternoon. I just came to make sure all was well in the Star Fox household and to drop off some things"

Peppy again smothered laughter "Bring the family next time you get out of your briefings... It'll be nice to see a few new faces"

"Sure thing Pep'" With that Charles made a hasty retreat.

His king was in a predicament, boxed into a corner by one of his own pawns and a knight. Falco looked up as Peppy entered the room, he blinked at them.

"Are you playing chess!?"

"Yes..." Falco mumbled "And you wanna know what's worse? _Fox_ is winning"

Fox laughed evilly

"Git" Falco mumbled as Peppy came over to peer over his shoulder.

"Your right Falco, you are in trouble. Hell even I don't know how you managed to do that. But what's more of an achievement is actually getting Fox to play."

Fox made a cynical face "We were bored. We've played _everything_ else" he pointed at boxes of board games strewn all over the floor and cards stacked up into a tower.

"I hope you're going to-"

"Yes I'll tidy up" Falco said grinning

"Am I really that predictable"

"Yep"

"Mm hum"

Fox and Falco said.

"Humph" Peppy grunted

"Checkmate!" Fox cried joyously as his bishop wiped Falco's king off the board.

"Well done Fox. First time for everything I suppose" Falco chuckled

"Ha ha ha, very funny Falco"

Grinning Falco started to collect the pieces together.

"you wanna go again?" He asked

"Nope. I'm not giving you a chance to beat me" Fox laughed

"Coward. But probably very wise"

"I know when I'm beaten!"

Falco laughed and started putting the pieces back in the box.

"mm. This horsey's lost an ear" Falco commented holding up a black knight. Peppy looked round.

"Yes, James broke that. He dropped it"

"Woops!" Fox laughed.

"Somehow I never imagined him being the chess type... like his son" Falco said

"No... We only played occasionally. That's my chess set. My dad gave it to me for my 21st, some sick joke"

Falco frowned at him. Peppy laughed at his face.

"When I was 21 the last thing I wanted to do was play chess" He laughed "I was too busy blowing things up with James"

Fox groaned and put his head in his hands "Did you have to put it like that?"

Peppy laughed "Very funny Fox"

"I heard you were a right hooligan when you were Falco's age"

Peppy smiled "I'm not sure _hooligan_ is the right word and I think the time you mean I would have been younger, I was in the academy by now-"

"What, there was more than once?"

"I still can't imagine you _ever_ being anything other than a model citizen" Falco said his head on one side

Peppy laughed "I had somewhat... err adventurous teenage years... shall we say"

Fox started laughing, Falco frowned at him.

"How d'you mean"

"Biker bunny!" Fox said through laughter "Dad showed me a picture"

"So I had a motorbike-"

"Yeah and the leather jacket and ear piercings to go with it. You were a punk Peppy, admit it"

Peppy smiled "ok, yeah maybe a little"

"Weren't you in a gang or summin'" Fox asked

Falco looked up suddenly and nearly dropped the chess set.

"What?" he asked

"Yeah, we roamed the streets on our bikes generally making a nuisance of ourselves as teenagers have a tendency to do"

"Dad said I should ask you what you did when I got older..." Fox said smiling coyly

Peppy made a face "Yes. I'll tell you when you're my age... if I'm not six feet under by then"

"Aw Peppy! Pleeeease" Fox begged smiling in a way that made lots of his teeth show.

"No!" Peppy laughed "I don't want to encourage you to make the same mistakes I did"

"Maybe if you shared them with us we wouldn't make them." Falco said softly, then grinned "it's probably too late for Fox though"

"Hey! I'm a good boy"

"Yeah Fox and I'm a fuzzy pink elephant"

Fox and Peppy laughed

"Now there's a thought" Peppy said

"But come on Peppy! Falco's right"

"There's a first, did we get that on tape?" Falco laughed as he put the board games back onto a shelf.

"Huh. Please Peppy!"

"I already told you no" Peppy said shortly

"Fine then" Fox sulked

"Never mind Fox, the images would probably give you nightmares anyway"

Fox half grinned at Falco

"Euw!"

"Well Peppy I'll give you one thing. That wasn't predictable" Falco said

"We all have our secrets" Peppy grinned

Falco nodded "Some of us more than others. Fox, you wanna knock the card tower down or can I do it"

"oh, oh I wanna do it!" Fox cried getting up

"Alright then but you have to help me pick them up after"

"YAY!" Fox took great pleasure in swinging his arms into the card tower scattering the cards in different directions and sending Peppy and Falco into hysterics.

"he, he, he!" Fox laughed moronically.

"How old are you Fox?"

"Six!" Fox said meekly in a high voice, even higher than Slippy's

Falco smiled at him

"You're kinda tall for a six year old."

"And way too ugly"

"Hey!" Fox said pouting. "I was a cute baby!"

"Shame about now"

"Shut up Falco! You can't talk!"

"Yes, I can or we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

"Ha, ha very funny"

"Ok, ok boys I'll sort this" Peppy said "You're both ugly"

"Hey!"

"Oi your not supposed to say that!"

Peppy laughed.

"I can say what I like, I'm bigger than you!" Peppy said but cursed his words as they left his mouth. To his relief Falco grinned at Fox. Unspoken words went between them then they both turned to look at him mischievous grins on both their faces.

"You're outnumbered" Falco said smoothly just as Fox moved forward to jump him. Falco followed behind in their standard attack pattern. Peppy was on the ground pinned beneath the two of them before he could even think.

"Now who's ugly?" Fox asked grinning down at him.

Unfortunately just as Fox was speaking the common room door opened and three new figures, followed by Slippy entered the room. The three of them looked up

"Charles!.. Amelia... umm..." Peppy shouted surprised, suddenly feeling very self-conscious "Get off get off!!!" he said pushing Fox and Falco off him and hastily trying to stand up. Falco sat up but Fox remained laid on his back looking at them from upside down "Charles, Amelia and Sarah... um... Welcome to Great Fox..."

Both women were in fits of laughter. Charles was just grinning and shaking his head.

"You never did grow up" Charles laughed

"Speak for yourself dad!" Sarah laughed giving her father a playful slap.

After brushing himself down Peppy managed to greet them properly, giving the heavily pregnant Sarah a warm hug.

"My little Sarah, pregnant... and you didn't tell me?"

She smiled warmly at him. Peppy had watched Sarah grow up, having been friends with Charles since his teenage years. Sarah wasn't really much older than Fox but she already had a husband and a child on the way, somehow Peppy couldn't see Fox with a family anytime soon

"So how's Paul?" Peppy asked still holding onto her hands.

"Away on business... so mum and dad are looking after me...

"_In all this I've forgotten what I was really fighting for... now its staring me in the face. No more war... no more killing... I don't want that child to have to grow up to be a soldier... I chose _my_ path, its time I walked it."_

Falco looked up, hastily he climbed to his feet and walked up to Sarah.

"Congratulations... and many dirty nappies to come" he said grinning

"Thank you Falco... I think..." She said turning to him

"I think you've grown since I last saw you, little bluebird" Amelia said

Falco nodded "I've nearly made good on my second promise to Fox, that I'd be taller than him"

"Oh yes, and what was the first?" She asked

"That I'd be a better pilot" Falco grinned over his shoulder at Fox "I made good on that one years ago"

A pillow promptly hit him in the chest. Peppy smothered laughter as he led Sarah to the sofa.

"You look beautiful"

"Don't be silly Peppy, I look like a giant hot air balloon"

"No you don't" Slippy said

"Don't worry, even then you couldn't be as full of hot air as Fox"

Fox looked round but found he had no more pillows to hand, so stuck his tongue out at him instead.

The arrival of the Peppers eased the tension onboard Great Fox, earlier in the day the date of the strike had been confirmed and secretly issued. They would be leaving early the day after tomorrow. It would have been fair to say it wasn't just Falco who was terrified.

Watching the others suit up Fox realised how much of a mess their lives were. For a moment he paused, studying them, all clad in black, Peppy pulling body armour on over his head. The sniper rifle was nearly as big as Slippy where he held it solemnly by his side, the butt resting against the floor. In any other situation Fox would have found it funny. Today it made him feel deeply sick, things seemed so ridiculous. Fox found for the first time in his life he couldn't bare to look at Falco, the sight of him tore away at his insides, he could remember times in their past when he'd enjoyed ridiculing his grief. He could also remember their laughing together. As he stared at his team he'd realised they'd all grown up a lot in the last few months. Suddenly he noticed the growing trend of silvery grey in Peppy's fur, where in his childhood days he could remember there being much more brown, and he realised that none of his friends would be around forever. He looked up to see a pair of eyes watching his, solemn, golden yellow, still, unblinking, just gazing at him. After a moment they broke away, and were cast down at the ground. He'd never understood what went on behind those eyes, but maybe now he was beginning to. Fox saw Falco silently crying as he led them onto the shuttle, but pretended not to notice.

Again the shuttle passed through the atmospheric barrier unnoticed. Everything as before, only this time it was Peppy at the controls of the shuttle Pelagic instead of Silver at those of the Spectre. Each member of the team stared down the scope of their own sniper rifle, Slippy only just bigger than the gun. Falco felt as though he was in a waking flashback, his mind was calm, absent, he supposed, running on automatic. He didn't really see the people he killed; his mind was again under the Behemoth's spell. Then he noticed there were no more shots being fried around him and no-more targets in his sight. He sighed sadly to himself as he saw Slippy then Fox beside him instead of Lupus, he whished he could have a second chance.

"Welcome to hell" Falco mumbled putting the rifle aside "We've just passed the entry requirements"

Fox took a black blaster from the holster at his hip and checked the safety was off.

"Then we'll make sure no-one can ever be sent here again. We'll show them what happens when you mess with Star Fox"

Purposefully Fox led the way off the shuttle, Falco followed, glad not to be the one in charge this time. At the back of the group like usual Peppy studied the other members of his team. Fox's stride was unusually purposeful; clearly this mission was personal, for a moment Peppy thought he was looking at James. His blood ran cold, he didn't want that to be a premonition, the past had already begun to repeat itself. Slippy too was focused on the job at hand staring down at the power tracker. Though he stayed close to Falco's side and occasionally looked up at him. Peppy could remember lots of missions when those two had run together, Falco had always been fiercely protective of Slippy, to the point where he'd allowed himself to be captured so that he could watch over him. Peppy guessed Slippy was returning the favour, or had grown used to the arrangement. They all watched over one another. Falco perversely looked the most peaceful of them all, his eyes had a glazed look to them, though they glanced about for attackers, he was pale, though he hid his anxiety well Peppy could still see it, though he doubted anyone else would. That was probably for the best.

There were a lot of guards moving around the Behemoth's corridors. The secret was quickly out. Some of their strike teams had quickly met a terrible fate. The Star Fox team preferred not to think about it. They tried to keep hidden, hoping that the efforts of those who were now certainly lost would not be wasted. They came round a corner and heard down one corridor the sounds of a strike team being apprehended. It was an oddly eerie thing. The shouts for them to stop, and then the inevitable shots, then the sounds of bodies falling lifeless to the ground. Falco went to run towards the sounds. Fox caught hold of his arm.

"No Falco. We can't do anything for them!" Fox stared at him, his brown eyes sad "We have to carry on. We have to kill this beast..." Fox's grip moved down his arm "And we need you to lead the way"

Falco closed his eyes for a moment, trying to block out the sounds. Fox let go of his hand and they moved off again.

They were getting closer, but the guards who had just dispatched the other team obviously worked out what their target would be, and cut them off. They almost ran blind into an ambush. A shot inches from the end of Fox's nose stopped them and they darted for cover. They flattened themselves behind outcrops in the bulkheads in the corridors, Fox and Falco one side, Slippy and Peppy the other. The guards were hiding behind bulkheads of their own. Falco was the first to fire. A Cancent guard fell out onto the floor. After that a fierce fire fight ensued. Slippy pushed his luck and was only saved by his blaster armour and Peppy hastily dragging him back. Then over the sounds of the last few guard's gunfire there was a shout. The firing stopped and went ominously silent. Nervously the team wondered what was coming... Slytir stepped out into the body strewn corridor. Falco was suddenly gripped with a primal terror. Fox, close by his side felt it and stepped protectively between him and the Cancent.

"Lombardi? My, I am surprised to see you back here, and you brought your little friends with you, just like we asked! Oh we are going to have fun!..." Slytir spoke in his usual smooth silky voice, a voice the strike team had come to both hate and dread.

Fox raised his gun, his hands shaking with rage.

"Freeze!" he shouted. Slytir ignored him and picked his way carefully between the pools of blood. Fox raised his gun higher. Slytir laughed.

"Aw how sweet, hiding behind your mangy friend. I think I'll make you watch this time. Or how about if I get _you_ to use the knife on them? You'd enjoy that wouldn't you Lombardi?"

"I said freeze!" Fox growled consumed with fury. Slytir continued to ignore him and walked ever closer. Fox, along with the others raised his gun further and went to fire.

"Wait!" Falco said stepping round Fox, his face contorted with rage "This one's _mine_" if Falco's voice had ever sounded evil, now was the time.

"Your precious Sliver moaned like a whore-"

Falco screamed and ran forwards, unable to control the blood-rage any longer.

"Bastard!!!" Falco slammed into him and drove him onto the floor, too fast for Slytir to do anything about it. As he ran Peppy picked off the last two guards looking out from their cover, the rest thought better of it seeing Slytir go down and ran for it. Falco had beaten half his face into a bloody pulp before the rest of them caught up with them. When Fox looked down Falco was kneeling on his chest with a long ornate knife at his throat.

"Didn't I promise I would kill you? And by your own knife, the same one you used on us, ironic isn't it?! Weren't expecting that where you? I'm tired of quivering at your feet." Falco drew the blade up the side of his face. Across his eyes, slowly blinding him. "Now you know what its like to watch your vision fade behind a red mist, course yours wont be coming back. Just a little of what you gave us." Falco brought the knife back down its arc so it was at his throat again. Slytir squirmed ungainly below him. Falco bent his head close to his "Death is too good for you. Go-to-hell!" Falco drew the knife across his throat and left it there, half lodged in one of his veins. Rubbing his hands on his trousers he stood up. He looked to Peppy briefly

"Runs in the family" was all he said. Then he looked around and ran up the corridor shouting "Come on, not much further"

Fox had to drag Slippy away from the body, he was just staring at it, Fox only just managed to ignore the urge to kick it. Those few moments would haut Fox's nightmares for months to come, he'd never seen Falco look at anyone like that before, and just hoped he would never give Falco cause to look at _him_ like that. They followed Falco and Peppy up the corridor.

Falco looked up, a strange sensation running through him, not a flashback or memory, just a familiar feeling.

"What?" Peppy asked concerned by his side. Falco frowned at himself. It must have been his imagination; she couldn't be here... surely.

"Nothing, I just felt something that's all" Falco looked around. Fox and Slippy stood at his side staring around the huge reactor core.

"Whoa!" Fox said to himself.

"I told you it was a big place" Falco said. Briefly he looked up at the bridge running almost parallel with the one they were standing on about 6 metres above. He thought he had heard footsteps. "Follow me, its not far now" Falco said, unable to mask a slight tremor in his voice. He was glad to have Peppy by his side. They trotted along the gangway then all of a sudden they heard a shout. Then an alarm rang out.

"What the?-" Fox shouted looking around.

"Krystal!!" Falco shouted. He hadn't imagined it. Before anyone could question him they heard a girl scream from above. Then something blue grey faltered and fell from the gangway above. Falco watched Krystal fall and hit the edge of their gangway. She rolled and started to fall off the edge; she scrabbled at the smooth walkway and fortunately caught something. Fox, Falco and the team ran towards her.

"We have to stop meeting like this" Fox said as he pulled Krystal up onto the bridge.

"McCloud?" She said stunned. She nearly let go of Fox's hand when Falco stepped to his side and looked down on her. "Falco! You're alive!"

"Yeah, just about..." He mumbled.

"Stay with us buddy" Fox said as Krystal stood on her own feet again.

"I'm surprised to see you here" Falco growled.

"I have my own interests to look out for. I'm not here to help you"

"Nah. I didn't think so"

"We don't have time for this" Peppy shouted

"Right, move, you can get to the reactor along this bridge" Falco called and ran off.

After giving Krystal a dark look Fox followed them. After pausing for a while she ran after the Star Fox team.

Falco starred up at the familiar reactor core glowing green. This was where he went wrong last time. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Peppy skidded to a stop by his side, if Falco was going to lose it anywhere it would be here. Falco couldn't take his eyes off the core. He'd been prepared for flashbacks, but not this. He wanted to move, but he just couldn't, the beating heart of the Behemoth held him paralysed. He could feel Peppy pulling at his arm and shouting at him over the screaming of the alarms. He heard Fox speak.

"We've got company!"

He could see troops appearing from that same set of double doors, but still he couldn't move, no matter how much he wanted to he couldn't. This time it wasn't his mind that had betrayed him but his body.

"Forgive me Falco" Peppy said before cuffing him in the side of the head, making him stagger.

"Thanks Pep'" Falco said. He was in control again. "Get onto the ledge behind the core! They can't hit us there. Slippy you go first" Falco shouted drawing his gun

"You heard him Slip'. Move!" Fox ordered, following him round onto the platform. Falco and Peppy then walked backwards shooting the approaching guards. Falco jumped when he backed into someone

"Krystal!"

"Falco get round and help Slippy with the bomb! Fox and I will hold of the troops"

"Get out of my way" he growled at Krystal "how you doin' Slip'?"

"Ok I think"

"Good!" Falco turned to his comm. "Star Fox in position"

"Hurry up Slippy!!" Fox cried

"Ah shit!!" Peppy cried and staggered backwards. Falco's heart plummeted.

"Steady old fella" Krystal said catching him from falling off the ledge.

"Ugh I'm hit"

"Krystal cover Peppy's side!" Fox ordered.

She drew her familiar staff and began firing it out towards the advancing troops.

"Fox shoot out the door!" she called. Fox obeyed and managed to hit the control panel on the wall. The door sealed.

"Peppy!" Falco cried crouching by his side. He took in a fairly serious blaster wound to his upper left arm. Falco felt sick. It was going wrong again. Without thinking he drew a knife from his pocket and cut a strip of cloth from his sleeve.

"Sorry Pep' this is gunna hurt" Falco said looking down on him he put the strip round the top of Peppy's arm, above the wound. Then he twisted the cloth under itself and pulled it tight. Peppy screamed and swore. Slippy and Fox both looked round at him, in any other situation they would have laughed. They always knew there was something seriously wrong when Peppy swore. Falco tied off the ligature as Peppy groaned trying to get his breath back. Eventually he lifted himself up to lean against the core gritting his teeth against the pain. Falco felt for him. Still he stood and went back to Slippy's side.

"How you doing?"

"The charges are set and..." Slippy attached a cable "So is the remote. We can go now Fox"

"Right, back the way we came Falco?"

"Yeah, there's no other way out of here except those 2 doors" Falco looked down the side briefly "unless you can fly"

"That might be a little harder than we'd hoped." Krystal said slowly.

The team all looked to where she pointed, the doors at either end of the gangways were rapidly filling up with troops.

"Come on Lombardi, you're not getting away from us twice!" A voice called.

Falco looked up his hands tightening around the gun; he could remember that voice speaking outside his cell.

"Maybe, but this ship, and everyone on it are going down. You must see that by now, I remember you, you said it was invincible, surely you aren't still that conceited?" Falco shouted then whispered "get some grenades ready, be ready to throw everything we have at them, unless someone has a better idea"

"You've changed Lombardi, but you're not so tough, why don't you tell us all who you screamed like a baby for _every_ day"

Peppy felt sick.

"Hurry up" Falco growled

"Just keep 'em busy a little longer" Slippy said, Falco looked back to see him making what looked like a homemade bomb, out of everyone's grenades. As he turned back to the guards he felt Peppy take his grenades from his hip.

"Why don't you come out from behind that reactor and maybe we'll spare you the agony of watching your friends die, we'll kill _you_ first, I promise"

Falco heard a low guttural growl rise up from his chest. Peppy caught his hand from where he still sat.

"Don't let them get to you, keep them talking. Slippy's making something that'll definitely wipe the smiles off their stupid faces." Falco caught sight of a devilish grin on his face.

"Come on Lombardi, we're offering you far more than you deserve"

"Your promises aren't worth anything to me. Besides, we'd rather stay here. You want us, come and get us."

"Yeah Falco, try to provoke him, we need them closer. Fox can you throw this?" Falco heard him hand something over "Everyone behind the core and heads down when that thing goes off, unless you want a repeat of the Destrop incident" Slippy chuckled

"How many of your soldiers was it when I escaped? Ten, fifteen, twenty, forty? How many? And they couldn't stop me?" Falco really hoped he wouldn't tell him the number. "What makes you think you can stop _us_ now?"

"Kill them!" The voice roared.

Falco saw Fox leap up and throw something large. Instinctively he dropped down, throwing himself round the back of the reactor as far as he could go, and careful to heed Slippy's subtle warning put his hands over his ears. He felt Peppy grab hold of him for fear he'd fall over the edge. The resulting explosion shook the whole structure, he was suddenly glad to feel Peppy's hold over his shoulder. With the explosion an enormous deafening bang that left a ringing in his ears, threatening a repeat of the week's silence. He opened his eyes. He was laid on the ground, his beak against one of Slippy's boots, his body against Peppy's legs. Fox on the other end of the group had his arm around Krystal's shoulder, his hand over her ear, holding her head down against his, though as Falco watched he released her and looked around. He just shot Falco a wry smile that could mean a multitude of things as the others opened their eyes.

"Time to get out of here" Falco head Fox say, glad to hear anything.

"Yeah" Falco agreed standing up then reaching down to help Peppy onto his unsteady feet. Fox led the others round from behind the back of the core.

"Whoa... Slippy, I'm sure glad to have you on the team in a tight spot" Fox said. Slippy just smiled pleased at Fox's rare compliment. As Falco and Peppy walked round from the back they saw what he meant. The centre of the gangway where the bomb had detonated had been blown away completely. Smoke hung thick in the air, tickling the team's lungs, making them all want to cough. All around lay bodies, caught in the blast. Also those caught by shrapnel, impaled and waiting to die. Those who were uninjured held their heads in their hands, pained by deafness caused by the sounds of the blast. The scene overall was one of confusion. The five of them used this to their advantage, guns (and staff) blazing they emerged from the smoke, not giving the guards time to respond. As they ran Falco watched Fox unceremoniously push one over the edge, his scream echoed for what seemed like an age, but was then suddenly, and finally, silenced. They were out beyond those double doors in a flash, running through the corridors. Slippy and Fox up front, leading the way, and ploughing through the guards, Falco and Peppy next, then Krystal covering the rear, seeming to dodge the fire of the pursuing guards with almost unearthly grace.

They were nearly there! Nearly away from this hellhole again. They could see the docking bay doors ahead, though they were sealed, drawing nearer with every stride they took. Then they were attacked from the side. Falco heard Fox's sharp cry, saw him stagger, watched sparkling red blood fly, and the world dropped out from beneath him.

"No!" he heard himself moan. He was beside him in seconds, ignoring everything that was going on around him.

"Falco look out!" Peppy cried.

Ignoring him Falco started to drag his lifeless friend's body out of the firing line.

"Come on Foxy please, y-you can't" Falco stammered looking down on him. He pushed his hand over a freely bleeding wound in his lower abdomen. The body armour should have protected him, but the shot had just gone right through one side and out the other. It wasn't fair. It shouldn't happen like this! Falco pushed harder against the wound, trying to exhort some sort of response from the still body, desperation not letting him see the severity of the injury, the hopelessness of it. Peppy watched them with tear filled eyes as he did the best to provide cover fire. Falco put yet more pressure on the wound as his hand started to run red. Fox groaned.

"Fox?" Falco asked, snapping out of the numb grief. One chance to save his friend flashed across his mind, and Falco didn't have any hesitations about taking it "Cover me!" Falco shouted as he dragged Fox as far from the firing line as possible. Gently he put his hands against Fox's face. He couldn't believe he was even considering doing this, after the fuss he'd made with Friad. _"Believe in yourself Falco, believe, for Fox's sake" _Falco said in his mind. Falco looked down on Fox and demanded of him what he was trying to find in himself.

"Come on Fox! I won't let you die on this ship and you sure as hell aren't going to die in _my_ arms." Falco closed his eyes "You're going to die old, with a big family, with this hellhole just a memory" Friad had said people used to be able to bond with others without the Krazoa... "Promise me that Fox. You'll make a good life for yourself... you wont waste the time I buy you" Falco let go of the world around him and prayed silently that he would be able to make it work. _"For Fox please let me succeed, don't let this ship take another one from me... _

The shooting seemed to go quiet for a second. All eyes fell to where Falco crouched over Fox. Krystal knew immediately what was happening.

"That bird's nuts!" She told herself "...Good luck Falco"

Peppy watched a pale blue glow ignite around Falco's hands on Fox's face. Watched him smile briefly, then it faded to a frown of concentration. Time seemed to slow down for those few seconds. Then the noise of the shots cracked the air again and Peppy's mind was drawn back to the battle.

Falco found himself standing in a blue world. Without the Krazoa to guide him this time he felt lost.

"Fox!" he cried out desperately. The eternal blue void seemed to swallow his voice. "Foxy come on, where are you?" he cried again. The world started to get darker. Then Falco spotted a pinpoint of fading light and heard a voice.

"Falco?... I'm scared; I think I'm dying..."

Falco concentrated on the voice and moved towards it.

"No you're not! I wont let you die pal just hold on a little longer"

Falco concentrated on the light and tried to ignore the darkness closing in around him, Fox seemed to be slipping away, being drawn into the shadows.

"Fox give me your hand!"

Falco reached out to him but his fingers were just that little bit too far away.

"Come on Fox, reach!"

Falco wished with every part of him that he was a little bit taller, then, suddenly his arm seemed to stretch and he caught Fox around the wrist. With all his strength Falco dragged him away from the black pit, until he stood on his feet looking Falco in the eye. Falco didn't let go of his arm instead he drew him closer.

"My strength, my heart, my soul, all I have to offer, I give to you, until you can stand on your own."

Falco opened the lasts of himself to Fox. Fox felt as though he was rising to the surface from underwater. Falco felt the now familiar draining sensation. Fox watched Falco's friendly yellow eyes, they glowed blue for a second. Fox's eyes glowed blue, Falco smiled, it had worked, he let go of the blocks in his mind, he had little to hide from him.

"Head for the surface" Falco said.

"Don't leave me!" Fox cried

"I won't"

Fox realised what Falco meant, he felt as though they were rising upwards, towards bright white lights. Falco pushed Fox upwards. Everything turned white.

Fox inhaled suddenly. Peppy spun around to see. Falco sprawled backwards and let go of Fox.

"Fox, you're alive!" Slippy cried. Fox didn't answer, he was staring intently at Falco, where he lay panting, struggling to get his mind in a logical order again. Finally he clawed his way to the surface.

"Fox..." he said, then shook his head "Peppy are we clear yet?"

"Nearly; Slippy how's the door coming?"

"Almost there!"

"Falco?" Fox started to say.

"I'll explain later" Falco said, but Fox hadn't needed to hear him say it, he'd heard him think it. He didn't need him to explain.

"Got it!!" Slippy cried. The hanger door slid open.

"Move!" Peppy cried.

Falco bent and took Fox's arm around his shoulder, he could barely lift him. Krystal came to Fox's other side. She smiled at him.

"I'll take him" She said lifting Fox's other arm over her shoulder "You can't, let me do it, to say thanks, if nothing else"

Falco nodded and let Krystal take Fox's weight. He was hardly able to walk himself. He could hear Fox thinking, feel his pain, he was hurt bad, Falco wasn't sure if his strength would last them long enough. They all staggered for the shuttle, shooting the few guards. As they crossed the landing platform the firsts of the power relays was blown. The Behemoth shook violently.

"The fleet must be well in by now. Looks like we're a bit behind time. Hurry before they blow the core!" Peppy shouted. The shuttle door opened and he ran inside followed by Slippy, then Falco, Krystal and Fox staggered aboard. As the door closed another of the power relays went up. The Behemoth shuddered again.

"Sounds like we got our bombs through!" Slippy cried

"Time we got out of here. Cloak on" Peppy said as the shuttle rose off the deck.

"Careful Peppy remember we've got no shields" Falco groaned from where he found himself, on the floor of the shuttle.

"Help me then Falco" Peppy said.

"I don't think he can" Slippy said. Peppy found a moment to glance back. Falco lay sprawled on the floor. Krystal and Slippy were trying to get Fox into a seat in the back, whilst not spilling his blood everywhere.

Swarms of fighters were flying around the Behemoth, flashing, cloaks on cloaks off. The Behemoth's fighters were having trouble catching them. Peppy did his best to manoeuvre the shuttle unseen through the fighters.

"Star Fox clear command!"

"Roger Star Fox. Blow the east wing"

They heard a cheer come across the radio seconds later.

"Woo hoo! Look at that!!"

"We got her beat"

"The Dragons are still in there!" A panicked voice said.

"And Tiger squad"

"All fighters prepare to withdraw" The commander said

Peppy banked the shuttle around so the cabin faced the Behemoth and the battle; they were at the rendezvous point, a few fighters and shuttles hovered invisibly by their sides.

"Welcome back Star Fox, we were startin' to get worried about you!"

"We're going to need a medical team" Peppy said, his own world starting to swirl.

"Don't we all, there's a medical frigate on the way. Hold tight till then"

"Roger-"

"Dragon and Tigers clear. Let's blow this bastard and go home"

"All fighters retreat. Repeat all fighters retreat"

Falco managed to raise his head to watch. Pinpricks of silver went out as the fighters engaged their cloaks and fled.

"Main core bombs activated" The commander said "firing now!"

There was silence for a moment. The Behemoth's fighters still swarmed around it, but the end was coming, and they knew it. Then it happened. Slowly at first like lava trickling downhill fire spread along parts of the ship. Then the volcano blew its top. Parts of the Behemoth came apart, then in one massive explosion most of the superstructure was vaporised, the resulting blast wave taking its fighters with it. The Behemoth was destroyed, finally, once and for all.

"ye ha! That got 'em"

Cheers rang across the comm. from all sections of the fleet.

"Fighter squadrons begin roundup procedures, destroy or capture all survivors" The commanders ordered.

Fox felt a deep sensation of indescribable relief and satisfaction from Falco. He heard him groan.

"That was for you Silv'. We got the bastards" Then Falco's thoughts vanished from his mind as his head sank to the deck. Moments later Fox's world also went black.


	6. Part 6: Resolution

Part 6:

RESOLUTION 

"_My strength, my heart, my soul, all I have to offer I give to you..."_

"That frigate had better hurry up or we'll lose both of them!" Krystal called from where she knelt by Falco. Peppy turned round suddenly, ignoring the searing pain in his arm.

"Both of them?"

"Yes. Falco first"

"What d'you mean?" Slippy asked from where he tried to bandage Fox's wound.

"He wasn't hit was he?"

"No, Falco's bonded to Fox like he did to me... its like a bucket with a hole in the bottom, the water runs from Falco at the top into Fox. Falco will be the first one to run out. The clock is ticking!"

"That's suicide! Why the hell'd he do it?" Peppy asked

"Fox would be dead by now if he hadn't!"

The shuttle shook briefly as the medical frigate flew over them and stopped.

"Medical frigate Fanfare ready to receive casualties, standing by"

"Priority one, shuttle Tiberius requiring immediate attention, shields and life support failing"

They never heard the response; the frigate had switched channels to deal with each request individually.

"Shuttle Pelagic, do you require assistance?" a new voice asked over the comm.

"Yes we have... wounded, one severely" Peppy wasn't sure if Falco should be classed as wounded or not.

"Roger Pelagic come into docking bay 12. Fanfare out"

Peppy pushed the shuttle towards the docking bay, increasingly aware he was the only conscious shuttle pilot, and he had a feeling that wouldn't last.

"Come on Falco, hang on" Krystal whispered keeping her fingers on his increasingly weak pulse. "Don't let go... please..."

The shuttle touched down on the shinny landing surface, Peppy opened the door and breathed a heavy sigh of relief, someone else could take it from here. He blacked out.

The medical crews climbed onboard. Krystal shooed the first team away from Falco.

"Help McCloud and this one will recover"

The team moved off, another went to help Peppy, when a third team entered only then did Krystal let them near Falco. She watched them wheel Fox quickly away holding up a bag of fluids, then they took Peppy out in a wheelchair and finally moving Falco out on a stretcher.

"Will they be ok?" Slippy asked standing by her side.

"I... don't know" She said following them. Slippy trotted by her side.

When they arrived at the infirmary they had been taken to it was chaos. All the beds, about twenty or so were full. Krystal could hear the sounds of muffled screams coming from some, others were ominously quiet. They found Falco, Fox and Peppy down the end of one of the rows. Fox's bed was a hive of activity, Peppy was attended to by just a nurse, and two bemused looking doctors stood over Falco.

"I don't understand it" one said to the other "I can't find anything wrong with him, but his heart just keeps getting weaker. He's barely responding to the adrenalin"

"Hey listen" The other one said. There was a pause for a moment.

"What am I listening to?"

"The heart monitor"

The bleep of the heartbeat was far too slow, and weak, but there were two slightly different notes to it.

"His and McCloud's hearts are beating at the same time at exactly the same speed; bit of a funny coincidence don't you think?"

"Well what are you suggesting?"

"I don't know-"

"They're bonded. Don't ask how because I don't know." Krystal piped in "If Lombardi dies you have three minutes to save McCloud"

"What makes you think that young miss?" one of the doctors asked.

"I've seen it done before. If you want to help Falco concentrate on patching Fox up. You can only treat Falco's symptoms. If his heart stops try to start it again and your time limit will be gone for Fox, but only if you can revive him. you have three minutes to revive Falco before the link breaks. Loose one and you'll lose the other fairly fast"

"Well-"

"Seems to make sense. What else do you suggest Mike? Nothing we're doing seems to help; besides we've got other patients to deal with"

"yes alright"

The doctors walked off, leaving Falco, for the most part to fend for himself.

Krystal turned to follow Slippy towards Peppy's bed. He started talking to Peppy's nurse.

"Will he be ok?" he asked nervously in a small voice.

"Yes, yes. He's lost a lot of blood but we can soon fix that" The nurse pointed up at the specially synthesised blood being fed into one of Peppy's veins.

"Good"

There was a shout.

"Bring the Avion; what the girl said seems to be right"

Slippy and Krystal turned around alarmed and watched as the two beds were wheeled out of the ward.

"Where are they taking them?"

The nurse looked confused.

"Surgery for the fox, try to clean up the mess in his guts. I don't know about the Avion."

Krystal looked glum.

"What's wrong" Slippy asked

"Nothing" She lied. Falco had said you had to "carry on for the living", that was why he'd ended up on Dinosaur Planet. To help Fox... and her. She'd been so ungrateful. She watched the door close behind Falco. He could be with his team again sooner than he'd imagined. "Keep going for the living" she told herself again. She smiled weakly at Slippy. He smiled uneasily back, then turned to gaze at Peppy.

"Don't worry Slip' he'll be ok" Krystal said, trying to comfort him.

"I hope so..."

"I'm still here" She said putting her hand on his shoulder.

Slippy gave her a look that she couldn't quite identify, Krystal wasn't sure if it was a nice look, she didn't think so.

The surgeons began work on Fox's injuries. His insides were a mess, of blood, fur and burnt flesh. They only gave Falco painkillers and a proper sedative when someone pointed out that he flinched every time they did something to Fox. Regardless of the lack of sedatives they would both be unconscious anyway. Fox should have been long dead.

He was aware of voices around him. Slippy mumbling, something about being afraid he was going to lose everyone, and be left alone with Krystal. His immediate reaction was to think the worst.

"Fox and Falco are alright aren't they?"

Slippy nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Peppy!"

"Are they alright?" he asked again his eyes snapping open. It was Krystal noticing the panic in his voice who answered.

"They're in surgery. We don't know anything, either way right now"

"Peppy I'm so glad you're ok!"

Slippy flung his hands round his neck. Peppy hardly noticed him, he was still trying to assimilate the information about Fox and Falco and try to decide whether it was a good thing or not. At length he returned Slippy's embrace.

Fox was loosing blood faster than they could replace it. Frantically the doctors tried to sort out the organs that could be saved from the bloody mess that that had been a kidney and the various other parts. The genetic synthesiser began to modify Canite internal organs do that they would match Fox's biochemistry. But they were fighting a loosing battle.

Peppy sat propped up by a pillow. The team were silent, sitting nervously around his bed, waiting for news. Any news.

A long ringing note was emitted by Falco's heart monitor.

Krystal felt a strange sensation in her chest. Like part of her had just slipped away...

Fox and Falco hovered above the beds in the operating theatre, looking down on their failing bodies. Falco watched forlornly as the doctors tried to start his heart again.

"_Fox... if I die tell Peppy and Slippy I love them... course I love you too Furball" _

A clock on a three minute timer ticked away all too quickly. The doctors wheeled out the crash trolley. They brought out another should they run out of time with Falco. They pumped in the adrenalin and prepared the electric charge to shock his heart. When they did nothing happened. His heartbeat remained stubbornly absent.

"_Don't blame yourself if you survive and I don't. I'm happy. Salty and Silver will be waiting for me on... the other side... and I'll be waiting for you... but I don't want to see you for a lifetime... No tears ok?" _

Despite himself Falco felt a tear trickle down his face, he turned to see Fox crying too.

"_Well not too many"_

30 seconds. Falco reached out to touch Fox's face and brush the tears away. 20 seconds.

"_Goodbye Foxy"_

It was Peppy's turn to feel strange. He and Krystal exchanged a glance. Peppy squeezed her hand that seemed to have somehow found its way into his.

Despite the personal pains and tragedies the outside world went on. The stars still cast their light on their planets, oblivious to the suffering all around them. The Fanfare's engines rumbled incessantly on towards Corneria and families and friends, but not everyone would be going home...

They shocked him again. Falco's heart started to beat. One of the doctors cheered. For a moment the good humour spread around the theatre. Then one of the surgeons spoke.

"That's where its coming from!" the surgeon had finally found where the blood was coming from and began working to close the hole in Fox's intestines.

Peppy and Krystal turned again to look at one another. Peppy smiled at her. Krystal closed her eyes and sighed in relief. She remembered one of their conversations.

"_You're a tough sod Lombardi" _

"_Damn stubborn too!"_

Fortunately Slippy seemed to have remained completely oblivious to what had almost happened.

With Fox's bleeding stopped the doctors began to make headway for the first time. They started to be hopeful that they might be able to save them. After a long time and several new organs later they were ready to close the wound.

Several hours later and more pints of blood than they could count Fox and Falco were brought back into the ward. Krystal was dozing in a chair by Peppy's bed. He and Slippy were playing an unenthusiastic game of cards. Both looked up tensely at the sound of another squeaky bed wheel. They both smiled when they caught sight of a familiar ginger tail sticking out from under the sheets. Peppy's heart stopped for a moment though when he realised there was only one bed being brought back. Then the doors opened again and another bed made its slow progression up the aisle. Peppy breathed a silent sigh of relief. He climbed unsteadily out of bed to meet the returning doctors, accompanied by Slippy.

"Well?" he asked.

One of the doctors turned from hanging up a bag of blood attached to Fox's arm.

"It was a bit hairy in there for a while. We nearly lost them, but their condition is... stable for the moment. It'll be touch and go for the next little while... they're not out of the asteroids yet. We had to give Fox several replacement organs..."

Peppy continued to talk to the doctors for a long time. Slippy lost interest and wandered over to the beds. There was no sign of life from either of them. He'd seen them like this before, but never at exactly the same time. He hated hospitals, they made his skin crawl. He looked intently at Fox, his leader, he was barely able to see him breathing, Slippy felt so helpless, if they were a ship he would be able to do something, he hated just standing around waiting for them to get better. Slippy turned to watch Peppy come over, he could hear him mumbling to himself, something like "I'm getting too old for this"

"How long will it take them to get better?" Slippy asked quietly.

"Hard to say... usually with injuries like Fox's it can take days for them to come around, or not at all" Slippy's face fell "It's ok Slip' Fox isn't going to let a little blaster wound beat him especially not with Falco there to help. Just don't expect either of them to come around soon."

Slippy looked like he was going to cry. "They..."

"They'll be fine, you just have to be patient, and go easy on them for the next couple of weeks" Peppy grinned. Slippy nodded and followed Peppy back to his bed.

"Falco... where are you?" Krystal mumbled to herself then woke. She looked around startled and became aware Peppy was looking at her. She was slightly embarrassed.

"They brought them back a few hours ago" he said gently, putting his book down on his knee. "Neither of them have come around yet. The doctors say it might take a while. They're offering rooms onboard to family and friends, maybe you should take them up on their offer"

Krystal moved in the chair. Rubbing her back. She'd hit that gangway pretty hard. "No, I want to be here when they wake up"

Peppy sighed and shook his head.

"You should tell him if you care. He won't be here forever. He needs all the friends he can get right now. You remind him of Silver, though he'd never admit it" Krystal looked up at him. "I'm afraid you're not very popular with any of them right now"

Krystal continued to look him in the eye. Eyes that made you want to tell him your life story, eyes that said they would understand.

"Falco said you could read people like you do your books"

Peppy smiled "It's a skill I acquired over the years. It didn't do us much good when it mattered though did it?"

"I wasn't with Falco when he left so I don't know exactly what made him do it, I wasn't there when decided to return to you either so I don't know exactly what went through his mind, but whilst our minds were joined you were never far from his thoughts"

Peppy sighed and looked round the room.

"Hey where's Slippy?" Krystal asked suddenly.

"Huh? Oh, he's around somewhere, why?"

Krystal shrugged "Just making sure he's ok"

Peppy frowned at her "Since when did you care about Slippy?"

"We had a little chat while you were unconscious... I felt sorry for him, he looked so pitiful" Krystal paused "Does he hate me too?"

"I never said we hated you" Peppy said gently "We all jut need some time to adjust to the last few months, they've done nothing for any of our sanity's" Peppy sighed "Fox and I were both very happy believing Andross was gone forever... seeing him again didn't do any of us any good, and there's always the risk that having seen it done with Andross one of them will get a stupid idea... We all lost someone to _him_."

"I don't think it can be done again, it was a long succession of unfortunate circumstances that brought Andross back..."

"If it can be done once, it can be done again. The Federation is looking into ways to prevent it without irreparable damage to Dinosaur planet... hopefully they'll find a way, otherwise Corneria is going to have another problem in its back yard"

"The dead should be left to rest..." Krystal mumbled

"Yes" Peppy agreed sadly "and old scars left closed" Peppy looked up to see Slippy coming back into the ward "ah look here's Slippy now" he said, glad to change the subject. Krystal looked down sadly.

"None of us hate you" Peppy said gently. Krystal sighed and didn't look up.

"Falco does, he told me so"

"I don't think he does... not really. He seems to be quite a forgiving person... I don't know where he got that from. Wasn't me that's for sure" Peppy said smiling "Besides Falco shoots the people he really hates"

Krystal looked up, and despite herself she smiled.

"He hasn't tried to shoot me so far"

"There now, that proves it"

"Proves what?" Slippy asked coming over chewing on a chocolate bar.

"Nothing..." Krystal said

"Hey did you bring me one?" Peppy asked

"Yes" Slippy said handing Peppy his favourite chocolate bar "I got you one too" he said looking at Krystal "I got fruit and nut, plain or that funny one with the honeycomb in the middle"

Krystal noted Peppy smiling at her.

"I think I'll stick to plain thanks"

"Suit yourself" Slippy said handing her the packet "Dead boring you are"

"You'll rot all our teeth Slippy"

"Never mind, just think of it as a get well soon thing"

"Well in that case..." Peppy started to crunch his teeth through the honeycomb chocolate bar "So Slippy, what's the Fanfare like anyway, I don't remember"

"Big, just one giant moving hospital, like all these medical frigates"

"You've been on one before?" Krystal asked.

Peppy nodded "Yes, the Genesis and the..."

"Timber Wolf" Slippy said.

"You get used to places like this when you live like we do"

"3 down, only 4 more to go" Slippy said

"What do you mean?" Krystal asked

"There's only 7 of these things in the entire fleet... 4 more will make a set!" Slippy joked.

"You've all got a sick sense of humour... its not just Falco"

"You can't blame me for that, he came with his sense of humour" Peppy chuckled

"Ugh... that must've been one hell of a party..."

"Fox you're alright!!" Slippy shouted running to his bedside.

"Ah! Not so loud Slip'"

"Thank goodness" Krystal sighed leaving Peppy's side.

"Welcome back Fox, you had us worried for a moment there" Peppy called across the room. Fox smiled briefly

"Falco! Is he gunna be alright?" Fox shouted suddenly, he could feel he was still breathing but wasn't sure if he would recover. Falco's mind was inactive for the most part.

"Now you've come around he should recover, it'll just take a little longer for his bucket to fill up again, now the hole's been plugged" Krystal said

"What?" Fox asked confused.

"You do realise what he did don't you?"

"Yes" Fox tried to sit up and regretted it.

"Keep still" Peppy said now standing by his bed his arm bandaged and in a sling. Fox's eyes went from his arm up to his face

"You ok Pep'?"

"Just a flesh wound" Peppy said grinning "I'll be fine in a couple of days"

"Good..."

"Pretty stupid letting yourself get shot Fox" Krystal mocked.

"Oh look someone else's trying to replace Falco's sarcasm" Fox looked up at her, he felt Falco's mind flicker briefly, Krystal's cold words reverberated around his head for a moment, then it faded back into darkness. Still Fox was left with a strange sensation coursing through him, not quite hate... "I'd rather have Falco any day" he said scowling.

Krystal didn't say anything. Fox couldn't work out if she looked hurt or not. She dropped her eyes and didn't say anything more.

"So how you feelin' Foxy?" Peppy asked

"Like my insides have been through a blender" he groaned

"Sore then?"

"Just a bit"

"I'm so glad you're ok Fox" Slippy said quietly. Fox turned to him and tried to smile reassuringly at him.

"Well Fox you should be proud, you've got a new kidney and several feet of intestine in there"

"Really?" Fox asked stunned

"Yep. I'm glad we're not paying your medical bill... I'm afraid you'll be fairly sore for a few weeks yet. And you're off solid food..."

"Whaaat?"

Peppy smiled "Intravenous for a few days, give it some time to heal. Then we see how it goes from there"

"Oh great!"

"Never mind pup. You'll be back to your old self soon enough"

Fox yawned heavily and sank down into the blankets. A few second later he was snoring.

"Goodnight Fox" Peppy said mildly returning to his bed.

The day dragged on with little sign of either of them coming around again. At length Peppy persuaded Slippy and Krystal to book rooms. They left the ward as the lights were being turned off and visitors were being shooed away by an angry nurse with a striking resemblance to a bumble bee. Peppy was glad in some ways for his injury as it let him remain on the ward during the night, just in case one of them woke up. He gazed around the increasingly quiet ward. A few of the beds were now empty, but most still contained patients at varying levels of health. Peppy sighed sadly. Not all the beds were empty because their occupants were healed. Falco still lay motionless to his left, Fox beyond him at the end of the ward, next to a wall. To his right lay a young Canite Lupine, a wolf by the name of Steve he had found out earlier that day, part of the doomed Tiger squad, he was one of only three survivors of eight. Their mission had gone much the same way as Falco's original attempt, only there were no prisoners this time. Tiger squad were shot on site. In the end the Dragons had come to rescue them and they had escaped on the same shuttle. Both teams had taken heavy casualties, but Peppy knew there were teams who didn't get out at all. Directly opposite him was another Canite, a Vulpine like Fox, a girl. She was one of the other survivors from Tiger squad in for blaster wounds to her legs. The doctors were hopeful she would recover. Quietly he crept out of bed to look over his team-mates. When he touched Fox's hand he mumbled something incoherently, worryingly Falco remained motionless. As he gazed down on the sleeping pair he heard the nurse coming back. He walked silently back to his bed.

Fox was standing somewhere dark. He could taste blood and hear someone crying in the background. All he could feel was deep despair, hopelessness. There were shadows moving around, voices...

"Come on Lombardi time to play!"

Something swung towards Fox who was suddenly laid on the ground.

"Ah!" Fox shouted and went to sit up. Pain seared across his middle and stopped him. "Wh-where am I...?" Fox asked into the darkness around him. He wasn't on Great Fox. Then a familiar, sleepy voice answered him.

"You're on the Fanfare. The medical frigate. You were hurt remember?"

"Yes..."

"Its alright pup, go back to sleep"

With that Fox drifted away again. Peppy was awake for longer. He was comfortable enough, but his mind just wouldn't shut down. The horrors and shared agonies of the last few months kept replaying around in his mind, over and over. Different every time, yet still sticking to the same awful true story. Falco's mountain would be different, or Fox's encounters with the SharpClaw would change, but the story always came through in much the same way. He couldn't imagine many things that would make it any worse. Then he would find himself thinking about James McCloud and how much the same thing had happened to them. 10 years later he still had the nightmares, more recently than he had for a long time. Peppy missed James, he'd always known what to do, he always seemed to be able to make things better... at least... until Venom, Andross and Pigma. Peppy rolled over and tried desperately to think of something else.

Peppy stirred early the next morning, as had always been his nature. Steve in the bed next door was awake also. They exchanged a glance. Fox was laid on his side facing away from him, Falco still hadn't moved. Sighing Peppy looked around the ward. The firsts of life were beginning to stir, the nurses took temperatures and talked quietly to the ones that were awake. The ward was fairly quiet, except for the bleep of various pieces of equipment and the constant background rumble of the Fanfare's engines, when you lived on a ship all the time they were noises you got used to. Peppy thought it would feel strange to be without them.

Peppy watched Fox sleep, like he'd been doing for years. In his mind Fox had never stopped being the little eight year old he had been when Peppy had first become the most prominent adult in his life, even though Fox was now more or less an adult. Fox sometimes twitched in his sleep; he was at least sleeping... Peppy found it easier to watch him than Falco. At least he could see Fox was alive, Falco motionless could barely been seen to be breathing. Peppy wandered over to his side, something around his right wrist had caught his eye. He looked at his arm where it lay on top of the sheet with a drip feeding something into him. A thin ring of silver went around most of his wrist with only a small gap to get it on and off; gently Peppy twiddled the bracelet until the widest part was facing him. The inscription on it read "Silver" and nothing more. Peppy held it between his finger and thumb for a moment, gazing forlornly at it, as he did so he could have sworn he saw Falco's finger twitch, but when he showed no further signs of life he dismissed it as his imagination. Nevertheless, unwilling to let go of this shred of hope he took hold of Falco's hand and squeezed it, hoping for some sort of a response. When none came for a long time he started to lose hope and let go.

"Peppy..." Fox moaned. Peppy jumped and frowned. Fox had spoken but there was something not quite right about his voice, it had a strange edge to it. Fox's tail twitched and then nothing more seemed to happen...

Krystal hung motionless in her crystal. The vision was strange, as though seen from two sides at once, loved and revered, hated and feared at the same time. A strange world's dust swirled, a dark shape floated up from the ground. Fur and feathers stood on end. They were back at Krazoa palace. Fox watched himself rise up the fan lifts, though what he was seeing as he did so was also clear in his mind. The effect combined to make him feel as though seasick. Then they fell and were plunged into darkness. Falco panicked, he clawed at the walls, every part of him screaming at being trapped, from the hawk, to the weaker "civilised" mind. Fox tried to reach out and comfort him. He met only turmoil, tumbling, thuds, cracks, voiceless screams, violence, strikes that should have had pain but, confusingly, brought none. Fox's mind woke up, but Falco continued to dream. Fox kept his eyes tightly shut, not wanting to lose the fragile link. It was as though Falco was clawing at the edges of his mind, like it was a cage, seeking a crack to slip out of and be free... It didn't matter where that exit led to. Fox wanted to stay with him, he willed himself to, he felt his mind slide into a trance like state. Falco seemed to materialise in front of him, though his edges weaved, a look of confusion on his blurred face. Fox tried to talk but couldn't, instead he just smiled. Falco tilted his head on one side and blinked, frowning with unspoken questions. Then he smiled and slowly closed his eyes.

A worried looking grey face swam into focus. Fox had to blink a few times. Peppy breathed again.

"You ok Fox?" He asked quietly "You looked as though you were hanging onto the edge of a mountain"

"_Interesting way to put it" _Fox thought... not so much a mountain... As he came awake properly a tide of pain washed over him, making him groan softly, accompanied by a wave of nausea, which he partially contributed to the effect of trying to have 2 dreams at once. Only then did he remember Peppy had asked him a question, he struggled to remember what it was.

"We're ok" jumbled out of his mouth. _Fox_ hadn't wanted to say that! _"We're"?..._ Peppy looked at him with a confused frown on his face. Fox got the impression Peppy was looking through him at something, or someone else. His voice... it had had that strange edge to it again almost... Peppy smiled.

"Good" Peppy paused considering what he was going to say "tell Falco to hurry up and wake up"

Fox looked up at him confused for a moment.

"I think he's happy sleeping for now" Fox said smiling. "Lazybones"

"Can't you give him a poke?"

"Pah! Its more than my life's worth to wake Falco up."

Peppy shrugged and grinned "You can't talk Foxy, you're the king of bad mornings"

"Hey! Slippy's worse than me!"

"Maybe...but he doesn't generally produce quite the same amount of foul language when I try to wake him up!"

"I can't help it if I'm asleep! Falco gets off coz he dreams in Avion"

"Not all the time... besides, I know most of the Avion curses now too."

"Really?"

"No, I'm not teaching you them"

"Awww!"

"Don't pout Fox it doesn't suit you"

Chuckling softly Peppy wandered off. It was only then Fox noticed Krystal standing at his bedside, her eyes unusually sad.

"He nearly died you know. I felt it, and deep down inside I think Peppy did too and it's tearing him apart" Krystal said quietly. Fox looked up at her for a moment then dropped his head down again.

"I was there with him. Looking down on our bodies, watching them try to start his heart again" Fox sniffed "He said his goodbyes... I thought I was going to loose him"

"A few minutes longer and you would have been fighting for your own life" She paused "once Falco was gone you'd be on your own. Stubborn bastard was holding on to make sure you pulled through. I'm sure the only reason he managed to get out of the Behemoth was because he was afraid one of the SharpClaw would get you. To think, I nearly killed him..."

"So did I, more than once...."

"I could have been more supportive. Instead all I could think about was how bad my situation was. I was angry at myself for being so stupid, so I took it out on him. I said some really cruel things..."

"When you were on Great Fox with me and you knew what he was going through... why didn't you tell me?" Fox asked pushing back his anger.

Krystal sighed "It was nothing to do with me..."

"How can you say it wasn't anything to do with you? He shared his _soul_ with you, you more than anyone else had something to do with it! I told you I was worried about him and you didn't say anything!!! He saved your life and you wouldn't do just that one thing to ease his pain?"

"...We'd just had a fight"

"And you couldn't put that aside for long enough to tell me what had happened? Surely you must have seen that it was the right thing to do, rather than let him go through all that alone until he did something stupid... and don't try to deny it. I know how close he came."

"You're glad he didn't do it then?"

Fox turned to look at her, unable to hold it back any longer his anger erupted "Of course! What do you think I am? You think I would have wanted his to do that to himself? Do you think I'm some sort of monster?"

"No!" Krystal shouted looking alarmed. "No..." Krystal's voice went quiet she looked down. Fox couldn't be sure if he saw tears shimmer in her eyes.. When he spoke again his voice was softer.

"We've had our rough patches, hell some of them were _really_ rough, but don't we all, I see him as a... brother of sorts... weird brother I know... but... you don't have to be related to be family... When you live with someone 24-7 it's inevitable that you fight sometimes, it wasn't just Peppy who was upset when he ran away. Admittedly it took me longer to get worried about him than the rest..." Fox grinned "it's never been my style to show it, and it wasn't Falco's either"

"Get emotionally involved and you become vulnerable..." Krystal mumbled.

"Huh?" Fox said "Falco didn't say that did he?"

"No, not in so many words."

"Well whoever said it was right"

Krystal nodded "And Falco was betrayed by one of the people he thought would always love him unconditionally"

"Who was that?" Fox asked worried.

Krystal half smiled grimly "That's something you need to talk to Falco about yourself"

Fox still looked stricken, Krystal decided she should probably say something.

"Not _you_ Furball"

Fox looked up suddenly and smiled.

"Hey, only Falco gets away with calling me that"

"Furball, Furball, Furball!!!!" Krystal laughed as she walked quickly away from Fox's bed.

Fox felt an odd sensation running through him, almost like waking from a dream. Then as he heard Falco groan he realised what it was, Fox could feel him regaining consciousness. Peppy looked up from his book. Fox spoke.

"You ok Falco?"

"...You just worry about your own hide" Falco said in a low groggy voice Fox could only just hear. He smiled, it had been a long time since Falco had said anything like that. Then Fox felt the pain in his stomach lessen, simultaneously Falco groaned.

"ugh, because your hide happens to be attached to mine. Give me drugs!"

"Drugs?"

"Morphine good... make you sleep... no pain... Drugs in those med-kits not strong enough..."

All of the team looked at each other miserably at his words. Peppy touched Falco's face fleetingly.

"I'll call the doctors" he said gently

"Thanks..." Falco trailed off, drifting close to sleep. He tottered on the brink _"Fox"_

Fox jumped at the voice in his mind

"_What I said... still stands. Whether I die today, tomorrow or in sixty years time. I want you to know that" _

With that Falco drifted back to sleep again. When Peppy returned it sounded as though he was having a heated debate with one of the doctors.

"Do I have to go through this every time I ask for something?"

"He's already been given more than he should have been. He has no injuries. I can't give him any more"

"Damn it he's just told us he's in pain!"

"They all say that"

"Who does?"

"The addicts"

Peppy swore. A strange stunned silence fell over the ward. Peppy looked round self-consciously and lowered his voice before speaking again.

"Falco is _not_ a drug addict"

"Then how do you explain this. He has no injuries, there is no reason for him to be like this. Its all in the mind"

Peppy looked like he was going to explode. The doctor unknowingly had touched a very sensitive bone. Anyone who knew Peppy better would have begun backing away slowly.

"Where are the doctors who operated on Fox?" Peppy asked through gritted teeth.

"They've gone off shift" the doctor said smugly.

Peppy growled frustrated.

"They were spinning some story about telepathic bonding or something. They must've been tired, a Canite and an Avion. I don't think so!"

"Its true" Fox said from where he lay listening to the conversation. The doctor just looked at him patronisingly. "He saved my life, _again_. So I would ask you to do what Peppy is asking before you make him angry. Which is not something you want."

The doctor looked around at the team's faces and decided it would probably be unwise to get on the wrong side of them. He walked slowly off. Followed by their eyes. Peppy sighed, glanced around briefly then walked off. They all watched him go until he went out the double doors of the ward.

"Should I go with him?" Slippy asked Fox quietly.

"No..." Fox turned to Krystal "Fancy a game of cards" he pleaded with his eyes. Krystal nodded and brought the pack over from Peppy's table. Fox paused as he dealt out the pack to scrutinise as the doctor gave Falco the painkillers. Only once he was finished and had moved away from Falco did he continue.

Fox looked up from their forth game and smiled.

"What?" Slippy asked

"I think Falco's dreaming..."

"What about?" Krystal asked "He used to get me to wake him if..."

"No, its nice"

Fox closed his eyes and allowed his mind to receive the images Falco was seeing.

A royal blue falcon soared above the tops of trees. When he turned his head he could see the tips of his long elegant wings. He could hear the wind rushing past his ears, brushing against the soft downy feathers on his chest. He tilted himself, bent his wings back so he dipped forwards, into a dive, the trees raced up to meet him. He was exhilarated, he felt alive; his heart beat hard and fast against his ribcage. Then he spread his wings wide again and soared level just above the treetops, so close it felt as though their leaves would skim his pale underbelly. Then as he looked down the trees stopped and he was gliding fast over a silvery lake, he was a swift blue arrow, skimming over the surface, scaring the fish. Then he beat his powerful wings and climbed back up towards the fluffy white clouds. To where the Falcon flies.

Fox opened his eyes still smiling. Slippy and Krystal were both looking at him.

"Huh...sorry where were we?" Fox asked.

"What was he dreamin' about Fox?" Slippy asked

"Being a bird, flying"

"Not too much of a stretch of the imagination then" Slippy giggled.

Fox played a card and he and Krystal exchanged a glace.

"He has way more vivid dreams than I do... or do you think it's just the drugs?"

"It's always like that, pick up 2 Slippy"

"Pick up 4 Fox"

"Aw man! I swear you two are cheating. Would you stop ganging up on me?"

Slippy laughed as Fox sulkily collected more cards from the pack. He was loosing miserably.

"Knocking... Out! I win" Slippy cried gleefully, bouncing in his chair slightly, much to Krystal's amusement.

"Is he always like this?" Krystal laughed

"Yeah, pretty much, unless one of his inventions blows up, even then he's about the same, only slightly charred"

"Hey! You make it seem like it's a regular occurrence!"

"Slippy, it _is_! You blew up four atmosphere scrubbers in the last month"

"I was trying to make them more efficient! They were knackered anyway. We were so broke we couldn't even afford to breathe!"

"That's not healthy" Krystal commented

"No"

"At least now we can get the ship fixed properly, I'm tired of trying to hold her together with 10 year old parts." Slippy grumbled getting up.

"Mm we should get paid handsomely for this one, along with Dinosaur Planet." Fox said, he noticed Krystal making a face "What?" he asked watching Slippy wander off.

"How can you say it like that?"

"What? You think that just because I'm a mercenary that makes me any different from any other soldier in the Cornerian Army? How many of _them_ do you think would fight if they didn't get paid?"

"I never said that"

"I'm sick and tired of everyone thinking we're just heartless killers. You know Falco had a point"

"I never once said you were heartless! I shared my head with Falco, I know none of you are heartless."

Fox blinked.

"Fox, Falco still came to Dinosaur Planet to save _you_ even though he knew he wasn't going to get anything for it, once he was finished and made sure you were safe he was going to go back to the streets, or wherever, to hide from the Army! Until something made him change his mind-"

"What do you mean _back_ to the streets?"

"Oh shit! Forget I said that"

"What do you mean?" Fox asked again

"Nothing just forget I said it... Falco wanted to be something other than a mercenary because he hated the public opinion, he pretends he doesn't care but it's all a façade. _You _are the hero to them, Falco is something else entirely. The press hate him-"

"No they don't!"

"Yes they do." Krystal lowered her voice "And when this comes out, and believe me, it will, the press will rip the shit out of him."

"No they won't-"

"Since I met you guys I read some back issues of the press stuff about you... some of its not real nice"

"Yeah, we all get bad press from time to time..."

"Falco more often than the rest"

Fox paused just looking at her

"And they love a good gruesome story. The darker the better, the press don't care who they hurt along the way, so long as they get good ratings. There are lots of things in Falco's past that they could stir up that he'd rather not remember, but they won't let the dust settle."

"What _are_ you talking about?"

Krystal shook her head "There are lots of things he did in the past he wont even let _himself_ remember-"

"Come on I've known him since he was 8, what could he have done before then, and personally I can't see him having done anything bad outside of Star Fox. We're all too afraid of Peppy for that!"

Krystal laughed softly then again shook her head "You want to find out, you look"

"I don't want to pry"

Krystal turned her head on one side "There are things in there... I only saw a glimpse of... repressed memories, I don't think even he knows they're there, or wont let himself"

Fox looked up at her, he could feel an odd sensation trickling up in his mind, flashes of memories that were not his own.

"If I look... will I hurt him?"

Krystal paused for a moment "I don't think so. When he was sleeping I took a look around, he didn't really seem to be aware of what I'd done" Fox frowned at her "I know, I know it's worse than reading someone's diary, but I didn't have anything else to do, and he practically gave me an invitation. Besides, I couldn't get at the stuff he didn't want me to see"

"How d'you mean?"

"It's like a library, not a very well organised one, but a library. Friad told me our memories are like books, we store them under a title, a date and organise them into sections and only when we open them can we read what's inside. There were whole sections he's blocked off from me, like a big no entry sign, and I couldn't get through that... I know, because I tried" She admitted guiltily "When I looked I found things in strange places, books hidden within books so to speak, like pop-ups that were hastily suppressed or spirited away so I hardly glimpsed them. Like some force snatched the books from my hands" She paused, looking at Fox to see if he understood, then sighing she carried on "his flashbacks were... are like ghosts floating around the library... his mind, randomly toying with the books when Falco was weakened enough to loosen their chains. The flashbacks were like an outside force, manipulating the books, just as alien as Friad's or my own presence. They were out of place, it didn't look like a library of course, but they were like... a splodge of black paint on a white page... and they weren't _all _from the Behemoth."

Peppy stood staring out of one of the Fanfare's windows, watching but not really seeing the stars floating quietly past. His hand, still holding the coffee filled Styrofoam cup trembled, making little ripples on the surface of the long cold liquid. He was dimly aware of a strange unidentifiable pain resonating form somewhere within him, but it seemed far away, like a long suppressed memory. A few others occupied the communal area many, like him, looking like dazed lost souls, just wandering the ship aimlessly. Peppy's eyes crossed over the ones nearest him, at least all his team were still breathing, which was more than some could say. Shaking off the cold feeling in his stomach he tossed the cup in a convenient bin and wandered back to the ward mumbling to himself.

"That was a good cup too..."

"Take care Fox..."

"You too Falco"

Fox pulled his Arwing up and away, and Peppy and Slippy followed him. Falco turned his own Arwing and headed in the other direction. It wasn't what he wanted, but he couldn't stop himself.

"You have so little faith in me" Fox's voice, but different, clearer now "I'm hurt. Did you really think I'd abandon you?"

"Fox?"

Suddenly they weren't in Arwings anymore. They were standing at the edge of a cliff, below a stormy sea bashed itself against the rocks. Falco was afraid, he couldn't deny it, part of him wanted to jump. Fox was standing beside him, looking closely at him, looking him in the eye for once, beseechingly, tugging on his arm.

"Come away!" Fox said desperately, almost in a whimper. "Please..."

Fox seemed to shrink in front of him, Falco wanted to reach out to comfort him but found he couldn't. The world started to swirl.

"Please you... you wouldn't... because I...

The rest of Fox's sentence was lost to Falco as he was consumed by a sensation of falling.

The first thing Falco was aware of was Fox shouting his name at the top of his lungs. Then of Krystal's hands pushing him against the mattress and a sensation of panic flooding from somewhere.

"Fox I'm alright!" He shouted. Turning his head to his left he noticed Slippy barely holding a struggling Fox still, and a nurse running towards him to help. "For fuck's sake lie still Furball before you tear yourself in half!"

Fox held now by two nurses and Slippy finally stopped struggling. Falco looked up at Krystal, she alone had him pinned.

"_You were always too strong" _Falco muttered to Fox's mind and turned his head to look away as Krystal released him. _"Too strong for me..." _

"I'm alight now... just a bad dream, leave me alone" Fox said hastily pushing the others away.

"_You never let me see you cry. I'm beginning to wonder if you ever do. But I can forgive you for that... because I think you're afraid... But Fox McCloud isn't afraid of anything, right?" _

Fox looked across at him frowning, unable to respond. Not allowing the pain in his chest to reach his eyes. Sighing Falco turned away to gaze back at the ceiling. He heard Fox grunt and turn his back on him.

The artificial night fell aboard the Fanfare and Peppy, Krystal and Slippy all returned to Great Fox, the medical frigate having docked with the Elenora space base earlier in the day. With them gone Fox and Falco were left alone together. Fox waited for Falco to fall asleep before allowing himself to follow suit.

They shared another nightmare. One neither was able to make themselves escape from. It began happily enough...

James pushed Fox on the swing, he giggled loudly, feeling the rush of speed and wind through his fur. This must be what flying an Arwing is like, Fox's young mind supposed. He was so happy, he loved these rare times when his father could be there with him, when he wasn't away with Star Fox or talking to the Cornerian Generals or making appearances on the TV, times when it was just him, and Fox.

"Higher, higher!" Fox shouted

All of a sudden the perspective and the feeling changed, Fox and James played on the swings but between them and the watcher there was a metal chain link fence. The kind of fence designed to keep the "bad men" out and the children in. Now instead of a feeling of exhilaration there was one of isolation and fear. Then they was running, fast, easily, over sand at the edge of the sea, the joy came from the fluidity of motion, the ease of it, and from the simple sense of freedom. The sky was a kind of plum, the sea a dark purple and the sand a kind of glistening silver gold. Beside them for a moment ran a huge stallion, steel grey, like the clouds, his mane standing up like a soldier on his arched neck. Then it seemed they would run into a wall of water, but before they reached it they collided with a shape and tumbled to the floor. The battle stallion reared onto his hind legs kicking out screaming and barring his sharp teeth, lightning cracked behind him as though he called it down from the heavens. They looked up into a face one of them recognised with terror. The face belonged to an Avion and his eyes were marked with green. For Fox the strike came out of the blue, for Falco it was expected. They were in a strange room, for Fox at least, the thing that bemused him most was the silence. The Avion bent over them and continued what he was doing.

Fox jumped awake. Falco in the bed next door whimpered softly and rolled over into silence. Suddenly Fox understood what Krystal had been talking about. Fox couldn't find sleep again that night, it eluded him, and so he simply sat in his bed and waited for morning to come.

"No Peppy I don't want to take my Geography exam..." Falco muttered as the last shrouds of sleep unwrapped themselves from his brain. Fox couldn't help but smile. "Geography?" Falco asked himself "Falco, you need to get out more"

"I'll say" Fox laughed

Falco jumped "Fox? What are you doing in my room? Are you sleepwalking _again?_"

"I'm not in your room"

"Then am I in yours?"

"Would it creep you out if I said yes?"

"Probably" His eyes slid open "Oh Fox this can't be your room it's far too tidy"

"True"

Falco yawned.

"Geography huh?" Fox asked

"Ugh... almost as bad as maths... but not quite"

"I like maths"

"I know, that makes you almost as mad as me!"

"Oh great"

Falco laughed softly and sat up in bed. Yawning he rubbed his eyes "I wonder what's for breakfast"

"Don't rub it in; you know I'm not allowed solid food yet"

"We'll get Krystal to chew it for you first shall we?"

Fox blushed "That, is gross"

"But you love it"

Fox blushed even more.

"So pleasant dreams Foxy?"

"Not really..." He decided to bite the bullet and come out with it. "Why didn't you tell me about your father?"

Fox felt Falco choke. He stammered his answer and Fox regretted speaking.

"Y-you didn't need to know. It's the past and I'd rather it stayed that way"

"But..."

"I suppose I won't have any secrets from you now will I?"

"Judging by the last few months that's a good thing" Fox said sadly

"Maybe, but there are some things that its better you don't know" Falco said, a grin spreading across his face as his mind drew up some images. Fox smiled and flinched a little.

"And others best left to the imagination!!"

"Yeah...!" Falco smiled and pushed the images back so Fox didn't have to see them anymore.

"How long will this last?"

"You'd have to ask Krystal that. She's coming by the way... I can still feel her sometimes... her presence... I'll drop the connection when the doctors say your wounds are healing, but after that I don't know what will happen. From what happened before I will be left with nothing much of you, other than what I remember now. Maybe I'll be able to feel when your close... like I can with Krystal" he shrugged "I don't know if there will be any residual effects for you..."

"So how much of my mind did you see?"

"Not much, most of it goes the same way as the strength transfer, you get half my memories, I only get your primary thought patterns "I'm hungry" "Ouch that hurts" That kind of thing"

"So you do feel my pain too?"

"Oh yeah... I get yours so you don't have to feel it so bad... but you get some of mine too... Watch"

Falco raised his hand up so Fox could see; then brought it down on the metal bar on the side of the bed.

"Ouchy!" Fox cried. Falco rubbed the side of his hand thoughtfully, smiling across at Fox.

"See. I could be really mean if you pissed my off; and vice-a-versa of course..."

"I don't think I'll be pissing you off again in a hurry..."

Falco just shrugged.

"Hey Fox, if you saw anything in there... my mind I mean, that offends you or anything I don't mean to ok? And the secrets I kept form you... Well I'm sorry ok, don't get angry at Slippy or Peppy because of them, blame me instead if you want."

"I'm not going to hold what I saw in there against you Falco... Although now I think I have a better understanding of what you went through"

Fox's thoughts recalled the memories in Falco's mind.

Everything was blurred, except for the glinting of the knives. Mitoc stood there brandishing them in front of his face, smiling that same evil smile. He grabbed Falco's hand, the one that was already in pieces and squeezed the fingers. Falco felt the fragments of bone slide over one another. He could hear himself screaming. Then the knife came in. Searing hot across his palm, in straight regular lines like cracking on a joint of meat. Falco had ceased to be a person look ago; he was a toy, nothing more than their play thing, to be sold on to the highest bidder when they got bored. There were lots of people who hated him. They wouldn't earn much for him though – damaged goods. Mitoc got bored with his slicing and decided to smash a few more ribs...

Peppy ran to Fox and Falco's beds. They were both screaming. Fox was frothing at the mouth.

"What the hell?" Peppy shouted coming over to Fox's bed. "Fox, Fox, what's wrong? Come on snap out of it... Sedate him or something before he tears his wounds!"

Peppy looked round to see Krystal slowly approaching Falco. He only realised what she was going to do seconds before she did it. Her hand came back into a fist and then she hit Falco's head. Fox stopped screaming. He looked around startled, then rubbed at his mouth.

"W-what was that?" he asked Peppy looking scared.

"It's ok pup don't worry" Peppy soothed then turned quickly to face Krystal "Why the hell did you do that?" he asked looking murderous.

"You wanted them to stop didn't you?" she asked simply

"Why the hell did you hit Falco?"

"Whose mind do you think that was coming from?" She said calmly. Peppy stopped stunned.

"What was that?" Fox asked again, calmer now.

"Err... I think Falco just had one of his little episodes" Peppy said slowly

"What? Oh god it was never that vivid before... I thought what I saw when he was unconscious was as bad as it got!!"

"We only see a shadow of what Falco does- what you saw there was ten times worse for him" Krystal said softly. Though Fox already looked like death the lasts of the colour seemed to drain out of his face. He turned to look at Peppy.

"What do you mean episode? I knew he has flashbacks but he never screamed like that before, how often does he have ones like that?"

"You tell me Fox, you're the one attached to his mind"

"I can't see right now exactly... but I know he talks to you about it"

Peppy looked down.

"He... I... he didn't tell you because he was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"That if you realised how little control he has over them that you'd kick him off the team. He still has them a lot, I think, I don't really know myself. He hides it... He didn't even tell me he was afraid he'd get kicked off the team..."

"Then how did you know that's what he thought?"

"He talks in his sleep" Peppy sighed and shrugged then looked away. There was silence for a long time until Slippy spoke.

"You wont kick him out will you Fox?"

Fox looked up uncertain how to answer. Fortunately something stirred in Fox's mind.

"He's coming round" Fox wanted to be the first person he heard as he again rose from the darkness so he thought what he wanted to say really hard.

"_Welcome back Falcs"_

Fox was surprised by the string of thoughts Falco returned to his mind.

"_I'm sorry Fox. I couldn't stop it... I just got overwhelmed... I'll try harder next time I promise" _

"..._Next time I'll help" _

"Krystal, did you punch me in the head?" Falco asked groggily.

"Yes" she admitted.

"Ok, that's what I thought" Falco said without opening his eyes. Falco was aware Peppy was standing by his side, he felt him take up his hand.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, my sanity's in here somewhere. Maybe Fox can help me find it. Its a small round egg with a large crack down the middle. Seen anything like that in your travels Foxy?"

Fox didn't answer, he was still shaken by what he had seen. Falco must have picked up on it

"_It's ok. Don't worry about it alright Fox?"_

"_but..." _Fox wasn't sure how to think what he meant, it was more emotional than what could ever be put into words. Still Falco seemed to understand.

"_I won't ever be who I was before I left again... but that's ok. I'm still me deep down in here somewhere. Maybe just slightly less annoying... But it could just take a while for me to find myself again... you'll have to bear with me while I sort out the mess in here..."_

Fox couldn't answer that. No matter how hard he searched for something to say, nothing came.

"_Mind you, my head was never a very tidy place. The CloudRunner said that, but even before that I never used to think in a particularly logical order. Come to think of it, I never did _anything_ like everyone else. I always had my own way of doing things... got me in trouble most of the time..."_

Falco chucked in his mind, but it was hollow, he couldn't cover up the sadness in his heart and he knew he didn't have Fox fooled.

"_Just don't worry about me ok Fox?" _

"Falco?" Peppy said gently.

Falco didn't wait for a response from Fox.

"Yeah?" he said opening his eyes and looking up at Peppy.

Peppy smiled relieved. Falco smiled back.

"I thought you'd gone again"

"Nah, I'm still here"

"Good, you had us real worried for a while there, we thought we were going to lose you... both" Krystal added hastily

Falco looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I didn't know you cared"

Krystal just shrugged, Falco saw Peppy roll his eyes, when Peppy realised he'd noticed he just smiled at him. Falco yawned then spoke

"How you feelin' Foxy?"

"Can't you tell?" Peppy asked.

"mm, yeah, but it's polite to ask"

"Pretty crap, same as you"

"oh good... nice to know we don't suffer alone aint it?" Falco asked smiling. Fox didn't smile back. _"What's up Furball?"_

"_Nothing" _Fox smiled at him, but Falco didn't buy it. He looked thoughtful for a moment then responded.

"_oh right...perhaps not the best choice of words huh?" _

"_No" _

"_Sorry"_

"Hey its rude to have a conversation without us!" Krystal said.

"Sorry"

"Huh?" Slippy said frowning at Krystal.

"Were you making sick jokes about us?"

"No" Fox and Falco said in unison.

"_Krystal's looked better hasn't she Falc'?"_

Falco noticed her hair mostly unkempt sticking out at angles.

"_Sure Fox, you would notice that wouldn't you? I know what happened the first time you saw her, it's written all over your brain lover boy!" _

Fox blushed and Falco laughed.

"Ok Krystal, now we're making sick jokes" Falco said through laughter, Fox joining him.

"Did I miss something?" Peppy asked confused.

"Sorry Pep'. It's nothing don't worry"

"What I'd give to be a telepath..." Peppy mused.

Falco looked at him, closed his eyes and frowned in concentration.

"_I'll teach you, if you like" _ he shook his head "but not right now"

Peppy stunned was staring at him. He blinked a few times, perplexed.

"You lot never cease to surprise me..."

"Fox..." Falco said slowly. Fox looked up from his book. "I've done a lot of things I regret..."

Fox turned to stare at him, the usual look of confusion on his face.

"When I was younger... I did things... bad things... things I'm not proud of. I..."

Falco trailed off. Fox groaned to himself. Peppy had always been better at this.

"I must have made life hell for some people, and for what? A lousy couple of bucks"

Fox had no idea what Falco was talking about, it seemed to be a regular occurrence these days. "I regret the things I did... tell me I'm not alone"

Fox actually laughed. "Asshole! Of course I've don't things I regret! Falco you were there for half of them, standing there ready to tell me "I told you so", laughing at me. We all do things we regret, we all make mistakes. That's just part of life."

Falco stared blankly ahead "I stole things off little girls... and old people... right out of their hands! And you know what's worse? Sometimes I actually _enjoyed_ it!"

A collection of images flashed across Fox's mind. Avions living in filth, a window smashed by a small blue hand, raids into other peoples' houses. An Avion girl flying through the air hit by a car and landing with a heavy thud. Her body bent at awkward angles. A small voice speaking.

"Tendra, get up, please get up." Those same blue hands shaking her "Please, come on, we have to go! The police are coming! Come on Tendra, please get up!"

The sound of sirens, then running...

"Hey kid!"

"She died"

Fox was aware of the hospital around him again, and Falco in the bed next door. Falco sighed heavily

"And she wasn't the only one, another girl died of The Sickness, that's pneumonia, another of... one of the... girl's diseases... I don't know which one... I was a little young to understand at the time, she had a sister with us too, not of age thank the stars... and then there was the boy who just... didn't come back... I was only there a month. Then I caught The Sickness... any longer and the doctor said I would have died of it too."

"None of that was your fault Falco"

"I should have stopped Tendra! I should have seen that car coming and stopped her running out! She didn't need to die. She shouldn't have had to. So many of the dead today are because of me... If I hadn't been born-"

"I'd be dead and so would Peppy, Slippy and Krystal and Andross could be running around the Federation with the Behemoth slaughtering anyone he feels like. And letting people like Mitoc and Slytir _play_ with whoever they like. Civilians Falco... _little girls_... that have never done anything wrong"

For a moment Fox wondered if he'd gone too far. Falco seemed to be having another one of those internal battles, and he wasn't invited to this one. He could feel and hear nothing from him. Fox watched him. For a moment he closed his eyes and seemed to wince against a personal pain. Then he spoke quietly his eyes still closed

"It'll be good to get home"

"The doctors say I should be well enough in a couple of days... There's nothing to stop _you_ leaving Falcs"

Falco looked away sheepishly "As long as I'm bonded to you I like to be nearby... to keep an eye out you know... I'm not ready to cut the link yet and neither are you... your still borrowing a bit from me... I think it's that liquid diet..." he chuckled "Not nearly enough sugar"

Fox laughed softly "Falco... Thanks... for everything"

"Don't mention it buddy"

The next three days passed slowly and lazily. Away from the Fanfare the Federation was rejoicing. The Behemoth was gone, defeated, and so some semblance of peace had once again been restored. The occupants of the Fanfare's wards watched the televised images of the celebrations with more subdued revelry, for them the cost of all the dead weighed more heavily. However on the whole the Federation was jubilant, even the Avions were celebrating. A few desperate young Wanderers were given passage into the skies into places at the Cornerian Flight Academy to follow Falco's example...

Falco watched closely as the doctors examined Fox's wounds. The sounds she was making as she looked were promising. Fox and Falco were both hoping to be able to go home later in the day. Casually she prodded Fox's wound, he tried, but failed to prevent himself wincing. Fox scowled darkly at the back of her head as she turned to Peppy and Falco standing at his bedside.

"He should be fine to go home today, seeing as though you're all so desperate to leave. He'll have to walk with crutches and avoid _all _strenuous activities for at least the next two weeks. Avoid any spicy food and alcohol-" Falco smirked at that "And make sure he sees a proper doctor every three days, just to monitor his progress. I am only letting you go because I know you have medical facilities on your ship. A nurse will be along shortly to discuss his ongoing medical needs and show you how to administer them"

Peppy nodded

"That means more injections doesn't it?" Fox asked

"I'm afraid so"

"Just as long as they're not in my butt I don't care"

"Gee thanks for that image there Fox I really needed it" Falco groaned. The doctor turned to him

"You are also free to go whenever you chose, it seems we can't get rid of you, although the professors aren't complaining, you two and your bonding are of great interest to the scientific community" She chuckled

"Great after all this I get to be a science experiment"

"I always thought you were anyway..." Fox chuckled

"Right that's it leave me and the Furball alone for a bit..."

"Eek!"

Falco turned serious "I need to break the link whilst Fox is still in hospital... just in case he reacts badly. When I broke with Krystal she hadn't been injured, I knew she would be ok"

"We'll monitor Fox... but unless you need us we'll give you some privacy... are you going to do it now?"

Falco nodded.

"Ok... call if you need us"

With that the doctor walked off. Peppy looked at them for a moment then took himself away too. Falco sighed and looked down on Fox.

"_It's a fine mess we've gotten ourselves into isn't it?"_

Fox laughed _"Yep, but we survived, whatever doesn't kill you right?" _

"_If you say so..." _

"_Its been nice Falcs. Sharing my brain with you. I got to be smart for a little while"_

"_You were always smart Foxy, maybe not with exams, but where it mattered, I always looked up to you, your strength, your courage, your happiness. You were always everything I wasn't"_

Fox blinked _"I guess we're a good team then" _he smiled _"We compliment each other" _

"_When we aren't trying to kill one another" _

"_Us... fight? Would we do a thing like that?"_

"_No... never... It'll be weird not to have anyone's voice in my head again"_

"_Well who are you talking to when you think you're alone then" _

"_A girl who breathes fire and a guy in a green dress"_

"_I don't want to know!" _

"_Take care of yourself Fox... I may not always be around to help you out of the mess you find yourself in."_

"_You'll always be ready to laugh at me though"_

"_Oh yes, I'm always ready to laugh at my Foxy... I'm going to cut the link" _

"_Will I feel anything?"_

"_No"_

"_Falco..."_

"_Yes"_

"_I... Thanks" _

He just smiled and shut his eyes. The last thing Fox felt from Falco was a sensation of regret, before his consciousness separated itself from his.

"I've done it. Are you ok Foxy?"

"Yeah..."

"Good, good that means we can get out of this dump"

Hearing their voices Peppy came over along with Krystal.

"Have you done it?"

"Yes"

"I bet that's a relief aint it Falco?"

Falco just shrugged. "oh well Fox, I'll leave you to your date with the nurse... Krystal, you wanna walk back to the ship with me?"

"Sure..."

"Thanks Krystal, I owe you one"

"What for?"

"Catching Peppy and carrying Fox"

"You don't owe me anything, if anyone does it's them. Besides I thought you said the Star Fox team doesn't keep scores"

"No, we lost count years ago" Falco looked across at her where they walked through Great Fox's corridors "I suppose you won't be staying around for long, will you?"

"Nope, I never do" She said shaking her head

"That's a shame" Falco said sincerely "There were lots of interesting tales I only got a glimpse of in your mind. I would have liked to hear them"

"We'll that's a change of heart..."

"Yeah, I figured I didn't quite get the measure of you right. I was wrong before"

"I don't think you were as wrong as you think Falco, the more I thought of what I saw from your mind, and realised what you risked saving me, the more I realised how wrong I was to say the things I did. I realised I never said thank you to you"

"I never expected to be thanked, but I was wrong to blame you for things. It was as much my fault as yours..."

"When I saw on the news about "the Survivor" of the Behemoth I knew they meant you, and I knew I'd been wrong to leave you to deal with it. After what happened on Dinosaur Planet I realised it was as much my duty as yours to finish off the Behemoth, you'd helped me out so I owed you help in return, that's why I came back... I lied before, I did come back to help you."

Falco smiled "Not to see Fox then?"

"Nah, I told you, I prefer older men... Falco, I'm sorry I shouldn't... well you know, I'm sorry. I think you were very brave to go back there"

"I nearly didn't... I don't really understand how I brought myself to go back. Maybe a little part of me was still feeling suicidal"

"You're not anymore are you?"

Falco just shrugged.

"I couldn't let Fox lead them into it without me, if something had happened I'd have been forever wondering, if, had I been there I could have stopped it... and... without them..." Falco trailed of then swallowed hard before continuing in a stronger voice "If they were going down I wanted to be with them... Live and die as a team."

"I'm sorry for the things I said... I was jealous... you were braver than I could ever hope to be, that made me feel... bad... if I was horrible I thought I could make you seem less... I dunno... it made me feel better; you seemed like the good guy... the hero type. So much better than me"

"Shut up Krystal. I'm no hero. I'll say the same thing to you I said to Salty. We do what has to be done... nothing more. The last thing I am is a hero. I was just... doing my job..." Falco paused for a long time "Take care of him for me Krystal..."

"Who... Fox?... Why do I need to take care of him, you'll be here to do it."

Falco smiled wearily "Yeah... but just in case"

"This isn't going to turn into one of Peppy's promises is it?"

Falco laughed "He's not a baby anymore... just be a friend... for all of them"

"You don't have to ask that Falco, I already am"

"Good" Falco smiled "Come on lets go grab the TV before Fox comes home"

When they entered the common room Slippy was already there, he was surrounded by what looked like the shattered remains of a small ship. Falco's first thoughts were that he'd blown something up and was trying to fix it before anyone noticed. Then as he looked more closely he guessed that he must be trying to assemble his birthday present. When he saw them he jumped up and ran to greet them, only narrowly avoiding stepping on his model.

"Welcome home Falco!! It's been real lonely here without you!"

"Aww..." Falco blushed

"Hiya Krystal? You gunna stay with us for a little while?" Slippy asked hopping slightly from foot to foot

"Well when you ask like that... maybe I'll stick around for a little while"

"Oh sure you stay for Slippy but not for me"

"You Falco Lombardi, I've had more than enough of you" Krystal laughed

Falco pretended to look hurt. "I could say the feeling was mutual... anyway I still think you're secretly in love with Fox and just can't stand to be away from him"

"Ugh, don't be gross Falco"

"And what I might ask is wrong with Fox?"

"Yeah just what is wrong with me?" Fox's voice suddenly asked as he limped in on crutches, with Peppy close at his side.

"You want the list?" Krystal offered. Falco and Slippy both laughed

"I could have let you fall to your death you know" Fox said grinning leaning on his crutches.

"Yeah but you're too much of a gentleman to do that"

Falco had continued to laugh

"You're no better birdie" she said slapping him in the stomach. "You're both ready to help a damsel in distress"

"Aren't damsels supposed to be pretty?" Fox asked. Lumbered by his crutches Fox was unable to escape Krystal's playful blow.

"It's good to be home" Falco said

Falco's bones ached. His whole body, even his soul felt tired. He dressed for the night slowly, sombrely, watching his reflection glint in the glass of his windows. The life seemed to have gone out of him, he might have grieved but he had no strength left to cry. His heart was empty, everything was done, it was over. He was left with a feeling that his future lacked purpose, direction, that he'd been living, surviving in limbo, like a ghost on earth waiting to complete his unfinished business, now it was done it seemed he had nothing left to live for. As he curled up in his bed he knew the feeling wouldn't pass...

When Peppy entered his room he wasn't surprised, he'd expected it. He walked over and sat on the side of his bed. For a long time they sat in silence, simply enjoying each others company. Falco relishing in the comfort Peppy had always seemed to exude. Finally Peppy spoke.

"It's nice to have you back little one. For so long I thought I'd lost you..." Falco saw tears in his eyes, but knew there was little he could do to comfort him "This'll be your first night back home without that monster looming over us" He paused "Promise me you wont do that to me again... you'll let me look after you"

Falco sighed softly "Peppy... you've been more of a father to me than anyone else in my life and I love you for that... more dearly than I love anyone... and my words will never be able to express that or thank you enough... but..." Falco sighed softly and felt tears run down his cheeks "You have to let me go"

"What?..." Peppy took hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm so tired Peppy... of this... I can't do it anymore... If you love me... you'll let me go..."

Peppy started to cry... "Falco..."

"Please don't cry..." Falco reached up to brush his tears away "I don't want you to cry..."

Falco's eyes closed and Peppy noticed his hand start to grow cold in his.

"I love you little Falco..."

"And I you... I love all three of you... make sure they know that..." Falco squeezed his hand "Sing me a lullaby... like I'm a baby again..."

_Lullaby baby softly slow,_

_Your safe with me don't you know?_

_Lullaby baby don't you cry_

_Wipe your tears from your eye, _

_Change your weeping for a smile,_

_You'll be sleeping in a while..._

"_I love you my little one..."_

Falco's hand squeezed Peppy's and then went limp for what would be the final time...

Light enveloped him. He was walking in soft sunlight, the air around him smelt of fresh grass and water. He could hear laughter. In the distance he could see blurred shapes walking towards him. Gradually they became more defined and Falco recognised them. Tyson gave him a playful slap in the middle of the back, Lupus and Blaze just laughed at his confused expression. Salty ran up and hugged him tightly, and then Silver shyly approached him, stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed him on the side of his beak. Then finally one last shape came through the group around him. As he got closer Falco grew small, so that he was just a little child again. His grandfather picked him up in his warm arms and kissed the top of his head.

"I'm so proud of you Falco"

Then he flew him round his head like an Arwing and Falco laughed with joy. He knew that after a long and happy lifetime the few others he loved in the world would be with him too.


End file.
